Johnson C. Smith University announced President Clarence D. Armbrister will retire in June. He became the university’s 14th president in 2018 when he was appointed to lead the historically Black university.
In a statement, Armbrister said, “It’s a bittersweet moment for me and my family because we love this university and the unparalleled opportunities HBCUs like ours provide for thousands of students across the country each year.”
Steven Boyd, a 1979 graduate of JCSU, was part of the search committee for the university’s 14th president. He said Armbrister was appointed because he possesses an array of attributes that would help the university prosper.
“We were impressed with his broad skillset and his ability to attack problems, solve problems and look at our university as a huge opportunity for growth and development,” Boyd said.
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President Armbrister was instrumental in securing the single largest gift the university has ever received. The donation of more than $80 million is part of Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles’ Racial Equity Initiative. The funds will support a strategic plan that Armbrister and the board adopted in 2021.
Boyd, now the JCSU Board of Trustees chairman, will lead the search for the university’s 15th president. He says the new president must be able to relate to the characteristics of HBCUs. For example, the athletic program and not just your quarterback or point guard, but the band, booster club and cheerleaders who contribute to the school’s identity.
“There are some unique things about HBCUs that everybody doesn’t get,” Boyd said. “And that’s not an ethnic issue; that’s a cultural issue. You have to embrace the HBCU culture in order to lead it.”
The board anticipates having the next president in place by the start of the 2023-24 school year. Despite retirement looming, Armbrister is set to stay as a senior advisor to his successor until early next year.
