NCCU Welcomes Largest Class In 15 Years 

DURHAM, NC — This fall, an estimated 1,918 first-year students will attend North Carolina Central University (NCCU) as the Class of 2028, plus 296 transfer students and 18 second-degree students. 

The incoming class is expected to be the largest the university has seen in 15 years. Final census data will be available in September 2024. 

Most of them – 1,503 – come from North Carolina, with more than half from the counties of Wake, Mecklenburg, Durham, Guilford, and Cumberland.  

The most popular programs for the Class of 2028 are business administration, pre-nursing, criminal justice, psychology, and biology.

Additionally, 154 students are enrolling in the university’s professional programs, including the School of Law and the Doctor of Philosophy in Integrated Biosciences program, while 482 new students are joining graduate programs. This incoming class of 10 doctoral students is the largest since 2016. 

First-year students enter NCCU with an average grade point average of 3.22, an average ACT score of 17.83, and an average SAT score of 987.27. 

“I am beyond thrilled to welcome my first class — the Class of 2028 — to North Carolina Central University,” said Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon. “As the largest incoming class we’ve seen in the past 15 years, this group of students represents a vibrant and unique array of talents and aspirations. We are committed to empowering these new Eagles to embrace boldness, seize opportunities that inspire transformation, and unleash their purpose. Together, we will continue to build upon the rich legacy of NCCU.” 

Among the incoming first-year students are six Cheatham-White Scholars. Applicants for the Cheatham-White Scholarship were required to hold a high-school weighted grade point average of at least 4.0. High schools nominated students for the scholarship based on a variety of factors, including leadership experience, character, and community service. The Cheatham-White Scholarship covers full tuition, room and board, student fees, books, a laptop computer, supplies, and personal expenses, plus four summer experiences that may include international studies. 

The 2024-2025 awardees are Sadie Allen of Durham; Matthew Cooper of Tallahassee, Florida; Anthony De La Cruz of Durham; Joie Jacobs of Mount Laurel, New Jersey; William Townsend of Raleigh; and Kai White of Raleigh. 

NCCU continues to cultivate diversity within the student body, with 282 incoming students identifying their race or ethnicity as other than African American, including Hispanic, Caucasian, Asian, and more than two races. 

The university houses approximately 41% of its student population on campus, compared to 36% of students at public four-year colleges nationwide, according to the Urban Institute.

The New Student Induction and Pinning Ceremony will take place 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18, at McDougald-McLendon Arena. Alumni and members of the NCCU community will present new students with their class pins as a reminder of the university’s heritage and the rich legacy they join. 

All incoming students are invited to participate in Eagle Mania, a series of events organized by NCCU’s divisions of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, taking place from August 14 – 24. The academic and social programs help students become more familiar with NCCU and the city of Durham. 

A calendar of Eagle Mania events may be found here.