WSSU featured on UNC-TV program
Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) was featured recently on an hourlong program on UNC-TV Public Media North Carolina.
The program, “Focus on the Future: North Carolina’s Historically Minority-Serving Institutions,” premiered on UNC-TV stations on Oct. 22. The segment featured a roundtable discussion with UNC Board of Governors members Harry Smith and Darrell Allison; Bill Roper, UNC System interim president; and six UNC System chancellors, including WSSU's Elwood L. Robinson.
“I want folks out there to know that these are academic centers of excellence,” Robinson said. “When a student comes to Winston-Salem State University, they are getting the best possible education that they can get anywhere in the world.”
The program, hosted by Shannon Vickery and Deborah Noel, also focused on WSSU’s return on investment, with interviews from Dr. Nancy Smith, associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy; Diamond Bynum, a senior healthcare management major; and Dr. Melicia Whitt-Glover, executive director for the Center of Excellence for the Elimination of Health Disparities (CEEHD). Taylor Walker, the 2019-20 Miss Winston-Salem State University, also is featured in the question and answer portion of the program.
In 2018, the UNC Board of Governors created a special Committee on Historically Minority-Serving Institutions (HMSIs) to address their diverse challenges and to create promising strategies for their future growth.
The six institutions under the purview of the HMSI committee are the state’s five public historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) as well as UNC Pembroke, which has the designation of North Carolina's historically American Indian university. This program reflects the UNC Board of Governors’ commitment to increase awareness of and appreciation for these six institutions throughout the state.
“We’ve never been more certain of the crucial role these historically minority-serving institutions play in strengthening our state and our System,” said William Roper, UNC System interim president. “This show brings into focus the innovation and excellence at each of these institutions and puts the spotlight on their many accomplishments.”
The program was filmed at UNC-TV on Aug. 28 in front of a studio audience of alumni, students, faculty and staff from the six universities. Interviews also were filmed at WSSU's campus on Aug. 22.
For more information or to watch the program, visit the UNC System website.
About Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University fosters the creative thinking, analytical problem-solving, and depth of character needed to transform the world. Rooted in liberal education, WSSU’s curriculum prepares students to be thought leaders who have the skills and knowledge needed to develop innovative solutions to complex problems. Founded in 1892, WSSU is a historically Black constituent institution of the University of North Carolina with a rich tradition of contributing to the social, cultural, intellectual, and economic growth of North Carolina, the region and beyond. Guided by the motto, “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve,” WSSU develops leaders who advance social justice by serving the world with compassion and commitment.
