A&T Alumni and Friends honor Chancellor Martin with a Retirement/Scholarship Gala

Peacemaker Staff Reports / May 24, 2024

In recognition of the end of a storied presidency, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University held a scholarship fundraising gala to honor Chancellor Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr.’s retirement.

Hundreds of Aggie alumni, faculty, and supporters gathered at the Grandover Resort and Spa on Saturday, May 18, to thank and well wish the outgoing chancellor. Kimberly Gatling, a Greensboro attorney and chairperson of the A&T Board of Trustees, and Robert Pompey, vice chancellor of the Division of Business and Finance, welcomed those in attendance and presided over the gala.

Martin served as the university’s 12th chancellor for the last 15 years and was the longest-serving chancellor or president among all member institutions in the University of North Carolina System and among all historically Black colleges and universities across America.

Martin’s retirement comes after 45 years with the UNC system. He served as senior vice president for academic affairs for the UNC System. He also served as the 11th chief administrator and seventh chancellor of Winston-Salem State University. Martin has also served in many administrative posts while at A&T, including vice chancellor for the Division of Academic Affairs, dean of the College of Engineering and chairman of the Department of Electrical Engineering. Martin, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from N.C. A&T and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He plans to teach a course at A&T’s College of Engineering, under his new title as Chancellor Emeritus.

Towards the conclusion of the festivities, Martin was presented with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine on behalf of N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper (who was unable to attend) by N.C. Secretary of Revenue Ronald G. Penny and N.C. Senator Dan Blue. The award is the state’s highest honor awarded to N.C. residents “who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments.”

The success of Saturday’s gala was not only measured in the $1.8 million raised, but also in the opportunities it created. The funds will be allocated to The Harold L. Martin Sr. and Davida Wagner Martin Endowed Scholarship for N.C. A&T students. This scholarship, with a special focus on rising juniors or seniors with a minimum 3.2 GPA, U.S. residents, and those who have consistently demonstrated the ability to complete tasks, will provide crucial support. Additionally, The Harold L. Martin Sr. Professorship in Engineering, which supports an exceptional faculty member in one of the many disciplines in the renowned A&T College of Engineering, will further enhance the academic environment at the university.