North Carolina Central University in Durham will soon have a new chancellor. 

On Thursday morning, hundreds of NC Central University community members, from undergraduates to “golden eagles”—alumni who graduated over 50 years ago—as well as distinguished guests from local government boards, commissions, and councils, filled the NCCU Student Center Event Hall.

The UNC System Board of Governors appeared via livestream on the three large screens hanging from the ceiling. Audience members sat with bated breath and jittery anticipation as they waited to find out who would usher in this new chapter in the school’s history.

Without much need for deliberation, the board voted unanimously to elect Dr. Karrie G. Dixon as NCCU’s 13th chancellor. 

Dixon, a Winston-Salem native, has over two decades of experience in higher education, much of which she has spent working in the UNC system. During his remarks following the board’s vote, UNC System President Peter Hans praised Dixon for “taking on some of the most challenging and rewarding work in all of higher education.”

In 2018, Dixon was elected chancellor of Elizabeth City State University where she oversaw a historic transformation of the school as part of the NC Promise program. Hans said ECSU was “in dire straits” before Dixon took the helm and elevated the school’s academic achievement and reputation throughout the state.

“…Chancellor Dixon has proven adept at forging strong alliances to benefit her institution,” Hans said on the livestream. “Policymakers from both sides of the aisle sing her praises and appreciate her straightforward, pragmatic approach to addressing North Carolina’s needs.”

Audience members observe an address welcoming the newly elected North Carolina Central University chancellor, Karrie G. Dixon Credit: Photo by Angelica Edwards

Now, Dixon will have the responsibility of leading one of the nation’s most-acclaimed HBCUs after NCCU’s current chancellor,  Johnson O. Akinleye, announced in January that he was stepping down at the end of this month.

“I want to thank Chancellor Akinleye for his service in shepherding this institution for eight years,” Dixon said. “Your impact on this campus is literally all around us. You set records in everything from infrastructure to enrollment to fundraising.”

NCCU’s campus received a major facelift under Akinleye. The university unveiled three new residential halls and a new student center in 2022. Enrollment at NCCU has also returned to near pre-COVID numbers, with a spike of 400 additional students between 2022-2023.

“You are leaving your successor a very strong foundation and a great reputation. And that’s a genuine gift to this university,” Hans said.

James Johnson Jr., a NCCU alumnus and professor at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, led the search committee in its quest for a successor starting on February 12. Fifty applicants were whittled down to eight candidates who the committee interviewed. Only four made it to the final round. Johnson says that, based on the search criteria, Dixon seemed the undeniable choice.

“When we looked at every one of those items that we thought were important to pick to enhance the competitiveness of the region and increase the important role that NCCU has to play in that process, one name kept coming up,” Johnson says. “I didn’t know why it was coming up but I was happy it was coming up.”

Karrie G. Dixon, the newly elected chancellor at North Carolina Central University, makes an eagle pride gesture before addressing audience members Credit: Photo by Angelica Edwards

Dixon officially starts her new position on July 1. She is charged with overseeing NCCU’s growth within the bounds of campus and beyond. The university is adjacent to the historic Hayti district where Durham city officials have plans to reshape the neighborhood through the Hayti Reborn revitalization project and a reimagining of NC-147. Dixon says she believes NCCU can be a strong partner in those initiatives and bring even more to the community.

“It’s important that we are able to build these relationships that benefit the institution as well as benefit the partners, but what does that look like?” Dixon says.

“I’m excited about the many opportunities the Triangle and Durham area have for partnerships with business and with our other educational agencies, Durham Tech, and Duke University. We should be doing some great work together to  continue to elevate the community. There’s a lot of rich history here and legacy and traditions. I’m excited about that.”

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Justin Laidlaw is a reporter for the INDY, covering Durham. A Bull City native, he joined the staff in 2023 and previously wrote By The Horns, a blog about city council.