Deese College Student Receives King Endowed Scholarship

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Dec. 22, 2023) – The Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has awarded Aria Johnson a $10,000 scholarship by way of the Timothy O. King and Marion Leach King Endowed Scholarship.

Johnson is a first-year business administration and management student from Richmond, Virginia. She said receiving the scholarship allowed her to fulfill her dream at her top school of choice.

“Since freshman year in high school, I had a big interest in HBCU (historically Black college and university) culture and as I got a little older and closer to the time that I would pick a college, I began to see A&T a lot more than I had ever seen,” said Johnson. “I have seen the pride and joy of just being somewhere you’re comfortable while excelling around people like you. So that is why I chose to attend A&T because that was something I really wanted.”

Timothy King and his wife, Marion, both graduated from N.C. A&T in 1976. Their endowed scholarship fund was created in December 2007 to provide financial support to students who demonstrate a commitment to academic accomplishment, leadership and community service.

“Every year we engage with intelligent, ambitious, and promising students that are qualified for scholarship support.  It is heartbreaking when we cannot recruit and develop these students because we do not have the resources to support them,” said Lisa A. Owens-Jackson, Ph.D., interim Deese College dean. “Generous alumni and sponsors like Tim and Marion King help us by investing in our students and future business leaders like Aria Johnson. Now that she is here, it is our mission to transform her live by fully developing her technical and professional skills and presenting her with every opportunity for success.”

Johnson was excited to receive the King Endowed Scholarship, “but I think that I was more happy that I can help my parents,” she said.

“We were hoping and praying for a scholarship,” said LaShanta Sullivan, Johnson’s mother. “So, we were overjoyed when we received the news. Also, having your child going out of state and leaving home, you want to know that they are in good hands.

“Having met the faculty at the business college, I feel so much better about this decision because I can tell without a doubt that they will do their very best to see that she makes it to graduation.”

Johnson is using the scholarship to assist with tuition costs. Upon receiving her baccalaureate degree, she aspires to obtain a master’s degree in human resources and explore the field of human resources in either health care or law.