Academics

WSSU held its annual Adobe Bash Faculty Festival, hosted by the Center for Innovative and Transformative Instruction (CITI). This year’s theme, “Back to the Future with Artificial Intelligence,” brought together educators to explore uses of AI in teaching, learning and student engagement.

Winston-Salem State University has completed its fourth cohort in the Excellence in Online Instruction Initiative, a program that equips faculty with evidence-based strategies to enhance student learning and success.

Winston-Salem State University is pleased to announce that Dr. Michael K. “Kenny” Holt has been appointed as the founding Dean of the College of Business and Entrepreneurship.

Winston-Salem State University proudly recognizes the academic achievements of full-time students through its prestigious Dean’s List. This distinction celebrates those who have demonstrated exceptional academic performance throughout the semester.

Winston-Salem State University graduate student Kris Mannino has been selected for a prestigious summer internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), managed by the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), in Pasadena, Calif.

Winston-Salem State University has been awarded a $50,000 acceleration grant to support the implementation of evidence-based strategies outlined in its National Institute for Student Success (NISS) Playbook.

Winston-Salem State University and Davidson-Davie Community College (Davidson-Davie) formalized a partnership on May 12 – but what made the Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony unforgettable was the personal connection that tied both institutions’ leaders to one woman.

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has announced the appointment of Dr. Stevie L. Lawrence II as its next provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, effective July 1, 2025.

“On behalf of the entire university family, I am pleased to extend sincerest congratulations to the spring class of 2025,” said WSSU Chancellor Bonita J. Brown, who presided over her first spring commencement since leading the university.

WSSU has reached a major milestone in sending an unprecedented number of students to graduate school to pursue advanced degrees in mathematics and statistical sciences. For the first time in university history, a cohort of 11 WSSU students have committed to pursuing advanced degrees in mathematics.

Winston-Salem State University has been named the only university in North Carolina – public or private – to earn the distinguished designation of Opportunity College by the Carnegie Classifications of Higher Education and the American Council on Education (ACE).

Three Winston-Salem State University students are preparing for a journey that’s out of this world – literally. On April 14, Gabrielle Erwin, Anya Buckner and Sarah Lang will be in Texas to witness the launch of Blue Origin’s historic all-female space mission

WSSU's Office of Undergraduate Research will host its annual Scholarship Week from March 31 to April 4, 2025, celebrating academic excellence and innovative research under the theme, “Owning OUR ‘A’ Game: A Showcase of Visionaries.”

Plant samples from Winston-Salem State University’s Astrobotany Lab will be on the first Blue Origin all-female mission to space this spring.

“I am thrilled to have gone from being an au pair in France in my youth to a Fulbright,” Merrills said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I foresee while I was scrubbing floors and changing diapers in France as an au pair that I would one day return as a Fulbright.”

Dr. Dawn Hicks Tafari, an associate professor of education at Winston-Salem State University, approaches life with purpose and passion. She believes that her intentional dedication to teaching has played a key role in her selection as recipient of the 2025 University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Winston-Salem State University and Salem Academy and College formalized a new partnership that will create a direct pathway for Salem College students to enroll in WSSU’s Division of Nursing Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.

Winston-Salem State University has reached a historic milestone with the largest graduate student enrollment in its history, a significant achievement that comes nearly two years after the institution reinstated its graduate college.

Winston-Salem State University celebrated its fall graduates during commencement Friday, Dec. 13. More than 500 students became alumni, ready to depart to serve, during the historic ceremony that was presided by the university’s first female chief administrator, Chancellor Bonita Brown.

Winston-Salem State University is committed to preparing students to excel and lead, to act compassionately and to rise above challenges with the strength and spirit of a true Ram. On Dec. 13, WSSU celebrated its Fall 2024 graduating class as they departed to serve to make an impact on the global society. Here is a glimpse of where a few students are headed:

Winston-Salem State University is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of Rajah Caruth, a standout graduate of its renowned motorsports management program and a rising NASCAR driver. Caruth will wave the checkered flag on his academic journey this Fall.

As I reflect on my first months as Chancellor of Winston-Salem State University, I am inspired by the incredible accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Homecoming was a highlight of my time here. It was incredible to watch generations of the Ramily come together to celebrate all that is wonderful about WSSU.

Winston-Salem State University has formed a groundbreaking alliance with Cisco, a global technology leader, that will enhance student employability, bolster faculty and staff resources, and strengthen the university’s infrastructure. The transformative agreement was officially signed Oct. 29 during an on-campus ceremony.

Students from Winston-Salem State University’s Mass Communications program embarked on a field trip to Atlanta during fall break, immersing themselves in the world of film and media. A highlight of the trip was the opportunity for students to shadow various positions on a two-day independent film shoot, “Nature of the Threat.”

The Winston-Salem State University Department of Education hosted a grand opening of its newly renovated Curriculum Materials Center (CMC) and Innovative Teaching Lab on Oct. 3, as well as unveiled a new Mobile STEAM Lab: Bringing Classrooms to Communities.

Winston-Salem State University has received a $400,000 National Science Foundation grant that will integrate esports into its computer science education program. This project will help WSSU improve computer science education and attract new underrepresented minority students to pursue a computer science degree.

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) and Wake Forest University School of Law signed a Memorandum of Understanding today, creating a pathway for WSSU students to matriculate into the Wake Forest School of Law full-time residential juris doctor (JD) program.

Winston-Salem State University is honored to announce a historic first meeting between Chancellor Bonita Brown and Dr. Jarso Maley Jallah, Minister of Education of the Republic of Liberia. The meeting took place on Sept. 30 on the WSSU campus and marks an important landmark in fostering bilateral collaboration in higher education.

The Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the S.G. Atkins Honor Society will host induction ceremonies for each group from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, at Dillard Auditorium in the Anderson Center. This will be the first induction ceremony for Phi Kappa Phi. WSSU's chapter was installed in January.

Winston-Salem State University earned impressive rankings in the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2025. WSSU was recognized among top public colleges and universities, best HBCUs, social mobility and the nursing program. The most significant achievement is WSSU’s surge ahead by 40 spots in the national universities ranking.

As Winston-Salem State University launches into the 2024-2025 academic year, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Anthony Graham, announced the following new and acting appointments in the Divisions of Academic and Student Affairs.

This is a special year for Dr. Fran Bates Oates, who has 50 reasons to celebrate. This year marks her 50th anniversary as an educator and is also her 50th class reunion at Winston-Salem State University as a member of the Class of 1974.

Winston-Salem State University was awarded a $370,000 grant to better prepare students for STEM jobs. The award is a part of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC) program.

Winston-Salem State University junior Maliyah Winters is already a history maker. The Raleigh native is the first historically Black college student to intern at the NC Real Estate Commission in the 2024 Summer Education and Licensing Department.

The Department of Education at Winston-Salem State University has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). 

This class was unique as it was the class that felt the disruptions of the global pandemic as students transitioned from high school graduates to college freshmen. Their high school graduations were mostly likely in person and college orientations were shackled by social distancing.

The Center for Innovative and Transformative Instruction (CITI) recognized its Class of 2024 Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Credentialed Educators and micro-credential completers. The pinning ceremony was held May 14 at the Bermuda Run Country Club.

The Class of Spring 2024 celebrated commencement on Friday, May 10. Witnessing the excitement and sense of accomplishment radiating from our graduates was truly inspiring. We invite you to read these profiles and to browse through our Spring 2024 Commencement photo album.

Several students from Winston-Salem State University’s Sport Management program walked across the stage at commencement on May 10, 2024. Here are some success stories of these impressive scholars. 

Winston-Salem State University offers an excellent Sport Management program that prepares our students for dynamic careers in the sports industry. WSSU is the first and only HBCU to receive accreditation from the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA).

Winston-Salem State University is committed to helping our students Unleash Their Genius and succeed in all areas of their lives.  On May 10, 2024, WSSU will honor our spring graduating class.  Here's a glimpse of where a few students from the Class of Spring 2024 are headed. 

On Monday, April 1 Winston-Salem State University kicks off Scholarship Week 2024: A Gallery of Genius. WSSU students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend biggest academic event of the year that shines a spotlight on how scholars from all disciplines Unleash their Genius.

The American Council on Education (ACE) announced that Dr. Mel Johnson-Norwood, vice chancellor and associate provost of Student Affairs at Winston-Salem State University, has been named an ACE Fellow for academic year 2024-25.

As we honor Black History Month, we commemorate Winston-Salem State University’s long and distinguished list of firsts and its contributions to the transformative milestones of the collective African American journey.

Winston-Salem State University is taking steps to ensure that students learn how to use artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly and ethically. More than 200 students are studying various ways to develop and use AI in courses such as art, world films, statistics, chemistry, English, business ethics, and exercise science.

Winston-Salem State University student Vinsha Torain placed second in the PNC North Carolina HBCU Pitch Competition. The second annual competition was held in early February at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro.

As we honor Black History Month, we commemorate Winston-Salem State University’s long and distinguished list of firsts and its contributions to the transformative milestones of the collective African American journey.

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi will install its 361st chapter at Winston-Salem University this month. Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society recognizing academic excellence.

Technology provider CollegeNET ranks Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) No. 2 in the United States for being a driver of social mobility for its students. Social mobility, as defined by CollegeNET, involves delivering a high-quality college education at an affordable price to create opportunities for students to move from one socioeconomic class to another.

Ask Virgil Bryant what he likes about motorsports racing and without hesitation he starts to rattle off: it’s the smell of the fuel, the revving of the engines, the squealing of the tires, the drivers – everything. Equally important, he said it was the most fun he had in years when he attended his first NASCAR race.

Winston-Salem State University student A’nya Buckner of Morrisville is unleashing her genius out of this world. The junior biology major with a chemistry minor has been selected by the N.C. Space Grant as one of the 2023-2024 Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) STEM Bridge Scholars.

Briana Tshiona was a member of the Epsilon Tau Sigma Honor Society for Allied Health while at WSSU.

While at WSSU, Ananye Fontaine was involved in the National Council of Negro Women, first as a mentee then as a mentor. She was a resident advisor for two academic school years; and was inducted into Phi Eta Sigma Honors society.

Not only is Wilson now leading the WSSU Campus Activities Board (CAB) as president, but his college experience has landed him at the White House – not once, but twice – and next year he will be headed to California to pitch a product concept to NASA.

N.C. Governor Roy Cooper visited Winston-Salem State University recently to discuss diversity in education. The visit on Nov. 17 was the final stop on the DRIVE Task Force’s statewide tour. DRIVE stands for Developing a Representative and Inclusive Vision for Education.

In February 2023 the Winston-Salem State University Chancellor’s Executive Staff issued a request for proposals for faculty and staff to create programs designed to improve undergraduate student success outcomes focused explicitly on student retention, student engagement, student belonging, and student debt load.

The New York Times names Winston-Salem State University as the number one school in North Carolina for economic mobility based on the people’s choice.

The couple, Prince David and Nancy Patterson Jernigan, both members of the WSSU Class of ’73, served and retired from extensive careers in public education; have raised tens of thousands of dollars for their alma mater over a span of 40 years; and most recently, established the Prince David and Nancy Patterson Jernigan Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Winston-Salem State University is ranked as one of the Best Colleges in America for the seventh year in a row by Money magazine.

Winston-Salem State University was ranked by Washington Monthly magazine as the No. 1 HBCU in the Southeast for “Best Bang for the Buck” for the 2023-24 academic year. The ranking is based on how well schools help non-wealthy students earn high-quality marketable degrees for affordable prices.

Winston-Salem State University will host its first esports competitive event this month to further expose students to the growing gaming industry. WSSU Campus Clash will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, at the University Recreation Game Room and Salon on campus.

Winston-Salem State University professor of psychological sciences Dr. Michele K. Lewis has been named a 2023-2024 Fulbright Canada Distinguished Chair in Arts and Social Sciences in Canada and North America.