JCSU President Valerie Kinloch Honored With Distinguished Career Contribution Award

Big honors to President Valerie Kinloch of Johnson C. Smith University. She has been named the 2025 Scholars of Color in Education Distinguished Career Contribution Award recipient by AERA.

This national recognition celebrates her powerful impact on education research and her unwavering commitment to equity, scholarship, and student success.

The Committee Citation reads: “The recipient of the 2025 Scholars of Color in Education Distinguished Career Contribution Award is Dr. Valerie Kinloch. Dr. Kinloch’s research and leadership have consistently advanced equity, justice, and transformative action in K-12 and higher education. Through her work, she has redefined the role of the scholar and leader by centering community engagement, institutional transformation, and student empowerment. This includes pioneering initiatives in literacy education, creating spaces that elevate the voices of Black and Brown youth, and leading large-scale equity-driven reforms in academic institutions. Her distinguished career exemplifies a lifelong commitment to challenging systemic barriers, fostering inclusive learning environments, and ensuring that education serves as a vehicle for justice and institutional change.”