Class of Spring 2023 Where Are They Headed?

Another Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) Commencement is upon us, as graduates depart to serve. Here's a glimpse of where a few students from the Class of Spring 2023 are headed. 

Name: Mariah Dillard
Hometown: New Haven, CT
Major: Social Work

What activities were you involved in at WSSU? Fusion Dance Team (2019-2023), ASL Club, and Social Work Club

How has WSSU helped to develop you as a person? One of the major things WSSU has helped me develop as a person is self-confidence, especially as a young black woman. I realized throughout my four years in college that I had been struggling with imposter syndrome which prevented be from truly growing into myself professionally.

It wasn’t until having all African American women as professors one semester that my confidence seemed to increase in many aspects of my life as that representation reminded me that I also have the capability of being successful in my journey into the social work profession.

How has WSSU prepared you to pursue your ultimate goals? WSSU has prepared me to pursue my ultimate goals by teaching me that it takes patience, determination, knowledge, and a strong support system to get where you want to be in life. I was taught that patience allows you the time to truly appreciate the ups and downs of your journey and the space to continue to build your knowledge and thrive through all obstacles no matter what gets in your way.

What will you miss most about WSSU? I’ll will miss the 12 to 2’s on the Breezeway, the exciting basketball games in Gaines, the all-nighters in the library, and most of all, the energy WSSU campus has circulating its atmosphere from the time you’re here to the time you leave.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about attending WSSU? To someone who is thinking about attending WSSU, before making your decision, don’t just tour the school on a weekday and expect to receive the FULL WSSU experience. Instead, try to come out to our Homecoming, one of our basketball games, or a RAMFest event like Yardfest or Showcase to see how the Rams really get down!

What is your next step? After graduation, I will be moving back home and pursuing a job in the New Haven public school system to get my feet wet before moving towards school social work. Then, in the beginning of 2024 I will be going for my master’s degree at (hopefully) Southern Connecticut State University. In the meantime, my goal is to take this break away from school to build more on my expertise, skills, knowledge, and experience so by the time I receive my master’s degree I’ll have an idea on what position of school social work I would like to seek a career in for the next few years before eventually growing into a great school principal in the future.

Are there particular faculty or staff who supported or inspired you? I would like to thank Dr. Jon Kapell, Professor Cleopatra Morrison, Professor Lauren Stanley, and Professor Claudia Robeson for not only supporting me in my future endeavors but also inspiring me to be the best version of myself in all aspects of life. I truly appreciate all of you as in some way, shape, or form you have greatly impacted the way I view and carry myself mentally, professionally, and academically.

Who has encouraged you on your college journey? My family and friends have been the most encouraging on my college journey, especially my mother, my best friend Makayla, and my Fusion Dance Team sisters. When things got tough, I could always count on them to not only be there for me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, but also know when to hold me accountable when I began to slack or underestimate myself and my abilities.

If you could give advice to the freshman version of yourself, what would it be? If I could give advice to the freshman version of myself, I would tell her to go all out when decorating her dorm room because believe or not, waking up to a beautifully decorated room will set the tone for your morning’s every day. Also, I would tell her to go run for a student government position and be the voice for her fellow peers because she can make a change. And lastly, I would love to tell her that just because other freshmen may be on a different speed than her does not mean she’s behind in life, it just means God chose to take a little more time with you.

Name: Tyler Smith
Hometown: King, NC
Major: Physical Education

What activities were you involved in at WSSU? At Winston-Salem State, I was a three-year varsity athlete. Playing football for three seasons and running cross-country one year. While at Winston-Salem State, I was also heavily involved in the No Fear! Battalion ROTC program, in which I served as the Cadet Battalion Commander for FY23. 

How has WSSU prepared you to pursue your ultimate goals? Winston-Salem State University has prepared me to pursue my goals by exposing me to a variety of opportunities including both practical and research experience. I not only have been able to work on three different projects surrounding Physical Education, but I have accumulated several hours in the classroom and coaching setting.

How has WSSU helped to develop you as a person? Winston-Salem State University has helped develop me as an individual by placing me in multiple positions, in which I get to work with a variety of groups. Being an athlete, research assistant, and ROTC Cadet at WSSU has allowed me to hold various leadership positions while pursuing my undergraduate degree. Through these experiences I have been able to broaden my skills, and work with multiple diverse groups.

What is your next step? Commission into the Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Branch serving in Knightdale, NC, as well as pursuing graduate school.

What will you miss most about WSSU? I will miss the family like atmosphere Winston-Salem State has to offer. From small classes, to packed out game days at Bowman Gray Stadium, WSSU students, faculty, and alumni work together to create a great experience for their students.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about attending WSSU? Getting involved can greatly set you up for success during your time at WSSU, as well as after. There are a ton of opportunities both on and off campus to get involved in, that will help prepare you for your years to come!

Are there particular faculty or staff who supported or inspired you? The entire Physical Education department deserves a shout out, but in Dr. Brown, Dr. Tan, and Coach Woodall in particular. Dr. Brown has been a massive support to me, and the faculty I have done research with. It is no easy task coordinating so many things, and she did an excellent job guiding me through my journey as an undergraduate student. Dr. Tan, and Coach Woodall have provided me with several opportunities to work on research alongside them. They both have given me plenty of opportunities to speak on behalf of the department and the research we are doing.

Who has encouraged you on your college journey? My family really has encouraged me throughout my college journey. Being a first-generation graduate, they did not always know the answers, or relate to my experiences, but they always pushed me hard to be the best I can possibly be.

If you could give advice to the freshman version of yourself, what would it be? Slow down and enjoy your time here. It goes by quick! Also, just trusting the process and understand that things will start to work out for you in your favor. It’s not always an easy road, but it’s worth traveling! Stay the course.

Name: Philomena Kagera
Hometown: Kirenga, Kenya
Major: Biology

What activities were you involved in at WSSU? Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society (Tri Beta), African Student Association (Treasurer: Spring 2022 and Spring 2023), M.A.P.S, and Phi Eta Sigma.

How has WSSU helped to develop you as a person? The development from WSSU has helped me become a better individual, to come out of my shell, and helped me build better relationships with my peers and professors. I also learned how to build my communication skills in Senior Seminar. Understanding that Black women are intelligent and can accomplish major goals in fields dominated by men.

How has WSSU prepared you to pursue your ultimate goals? WSSU has helped me have a voice for myself and put me in a position where I can confidently walk into my field. WSSU has prepared me in more ways than one so I can prosper and thrive into this new chapter in my life as a woman in STEM.

What will you miss most about WSSU? I will miss everything about Winston-Salem State University, but mostly being surrounded by like-minded individuals and others that look like me. The long-term friendships I have made and will cherish since I have seen so much growth within myself through them.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about attending WSSU? "Be you. Always be unique because at the end of the day, you are your own individual and you can only determine your own life for yourself." My advice is that you should take every opportunity you can to be part of clubs on campus and be as social as you can be.

What is your next step? My plans after I graduate in May 2023 are to take a gap year for my mental state and get a job including anything with the medical field. In Fall 2024, I plan on going to PA school and pursue my career.

Are there particular faculty or staff who supported or inspired you? Tracy Foote White, Tristan Jeremy Lee, Jessica Kundael Mushi, John D. Hutchens, Sezgin Kiren, Jafar G. Gharavi-Naeini, Catherine Ann Payne, Dawn N. Tafari, Exazevia M Logan, Fenghai Guo, Rafael Rodrigues Loureiro, David S. Kump, Timothy Donald Ballard, Keith O. Penn, and Joseph C. Baker.

Who has encouraged you on your college journey? I want to thank my mother and father for supporting me through these four years. My siblings for pushing me to continue when I wanted to stop. My nephew for looking up to me and making me accomplish so much more with his encouraging words. Special thanks to my twin sister, Hannah Kagera, coming to the same university with me and helping one another throughout the ups and downs.

If you could give advice to the freshman version of yourself, what would it be? I would have loved to not be scared to talk to others and create a stronger bond with my professors. I would have loved to have got a mentor as soon as I started to help guide me more into my career and interests.

Any other comments you’d like to share? I'm grateful to be RAM for life.

Name: Rametrz Bey
Hometown: Charlotte
Major: Business Administration with a minor in Management Information Systems.

What activities were you involved in at WSSU? While at WSSU I was involved in numerous on campus activities such as Winston Men Alliance. I was also a Resident Advisor, a part of the Student Senate, Vice President of our NABAINC, President of our NABAINC. I was also a part of Inroads and a two-time participant in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Leadership Institute.

How has WSSU helped to develop you as a person? Winston-Salem State University has developed me as a person by giving me the confidence to put myself in uncomfortable situations. From the time I stepped on campus WSSU provided me with opportunities to grow personally and professionally.

How has WSSU prepared you to pursue your ultimate goals? WSSU has prepared me for my ultimate goals by teaching me the foundation of what it means to be successful. WSSU prides itself on excellence and throughout my experience I was able to gain an understanding of what it means to strive for excellence.

What will you miss most about WSSU? The thing I will miss most about WSSU is the community. Since a freshman year I always felt that WSSU was very family oriented and gave me opportunities to make some great friendships and connections and I will miss that the most.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about attending WSSU? The advice I would give someone is to remember that anything worth having isn't going to come easy. Things will get tough but continue to be persistent and you will always be okay.

What is your next step? After graduation, I will be relocating to Phoenix, Arizona to begin a fulltime position with PayPal in software engineering.

Name: Angel Maynor
Hometown: Pensacola, FL
Major: Information Technology

What activities were you involved in at WSSU? Chancellors Ambassadors, Member of Active Minds, Student Representative for L.E.A.D, Engagement Center, Leadership North Carolina Higher Education Panelist, Search committee for the Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, EY BIT Ambassador Program, Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, Tau Sigma Honor Society, GitHub All In Program Participant, HBCU Battle of the Brains Competition, Wellington Management FinTech Challenge, Spring 2023 initiate of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity Inc.

How has WSSU helped to develop you as a person? WSSU has developed me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, and it has taught me that discomfort is a sign of growth. I am no longer frightened or intimidated to try new things. I seize all opportunities because I know that they will expand my skills and knowledge.

How has WSSU prepared you to pursue your ultimate goals? WSSU has increased my aspirations of being a role model for people of color in STEM. I have learned the foundations of knowledge in computer systems development, computer programming, system administration, data communications, web programming, and have received hands-on internship experience that has prepared me to not only represent the school in different space, but also people who look like me.

What will you miss most about WSSU? I will miss the atmosphere, love, and support! Faculty, staff, and students go out of their way to lend a hand, be a shoulder to lean on, and are always in your corner rooting for your success!

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about attending WSSU? If you are looking for a place to take you from good to great, WSSU is the place for you! It will be the best decision that you make. Attending WSSU will expose you to opportunities and connections that you will not get at any other institution.

What is your next step? I plan on interning with Nationwide Technology for the third summer in a row. I also plan on going to graduate school at Winston-Salem State University this fall, to complete my master’s degree in Computer Science and Information Technology.

Name: Mazvita Meekins
Hometown: Winston-Salem
Major: Biology

What activities were you involved in at WSSU? During my time at WSSU, I have done various activities and joined various clubs. I am an e-board member of the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society. I am also a campus ambassador. I am also involved in the African Student Association and the Chess Club.

How has WSSU helped to develop you as a person? WSSU has shown me different perspectives of life and opportunities that I never thought were possible. The greatest lesson that I learned, is that I'm in control of everything. Time management and academic independence were the two major skills I have gained. I am responsible for my success and journey in life.

How has WSSU prepared you to pursue your ultimate goals? Being a biology major there have been a lot of resources provided for me. These resources are internships, jobs, and career opportunities that have changed my outlook on life. I received a lot of academic support within the different departments and tools on campus. Personally, I have been really engaged with the Writing Center and career fairs on campus.

What will you miss most about WSSU? I will miss the sense of belonging and thriving within a community. One of the major reasons I chose WSSU, was because it is an HBCU. This allows me to be in a safe space where I'm surrounded by people that look like me. Not only do they look like me, but they are also pursing their dreams like me. As a Black woman in STEM, I know I will be the minority in a lot of spaces, so I took the opportunity of being the majority in a space for a chance.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about attending WSSU? I think WSSU is a great school and has many resources to help start your journey. In my opinion, being in a small university is great, there is an outstanding sense of community. It was very easy for me to bond and connect with students not only within my major but within my social interests. Since the class ratio is small you have a greater opportunity to bond with the faculty and staff.

What is your next step? After graduation, I will start my journey of being a Peace Corp volunteer. I will be a Community Health Outreach Volunteer in Kenya for 27 months. This is my ideal job because it incorporates a lot of morals and skills that I value. I have a passion for helping and connecting with people. I also love to travel, and I have been to over 10 countries!

If you could give advice to the freshman version of yourself, what would it be? I would hold onto the fact that college is a marathon and not a race! YOU finish or start whenever you are ready and do whatever YOU want to do. Do not compare your success and failures to someone else's. Life is not set in stone, do the things that feel right.

Name: Charlie Jenkins, Jr.
Hometown: Powellsville, NC
Major: Communications and Media Studies

What activities were you involved in at WSSU? SGA Student Senate (2020-2021, 2022-2023) RamsTV (2022-2023), Rams Sports (2022-2023), Mr. RHA for the Resident Hall Association (Spring 2023), Desk Attendant for Housing and Residence Life (2022-2023), Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society (Spring 2022 Inductee).

How has WSSU helped to develop you as a person? Attending WSSU has made a tremendous impact on my life. I entered WSSU Fall of 2020 as a transfer student coming from Campbell University. Since being at WSSU I was able to develop myself into a strong man. I was able to step out of my comfort zone and make a change within myself. I was able to learn things that I never knew about myself if it wasn't for some of the classes I have taken and the professors I have encountered. I would say that I am more prepared than I have ever been after leaving here.