Campus Life

Dr. Elva J. Jones is professor and founding and current chair of the Department of Computer Science at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), a position she has held since 1991. 

For the second year in a row, Winston-Salem State University has been selected for a Home Depot® Retool Your School Award. WSSU was in the top 10 HBCUs to win the award.

Winston-Salem State University congratulates the faculty members listed below who received promotions and/or tenure in 2021-2022.

The campus of Winston-Salem State University has become even more beautiful, thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Home Depot Retool Your School initiative. Home Depot is dedicated to giving back to the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to honor what HBCUs bring to their communities “a strong foundation, renewed purposed and distinctive character.”

On October 25 Winston-Salem State University’s Political Action Committee in conjunction with Black Voters Matter and Common Cause organized a march to the polls that brought out over 200 students and trended on the @blackvotersmtr Twitter account with over 394,000 views.

Here’s what you need to know.

Awardees are recognized during the annual MLK celebration event that is co-sponsored by WSSU and Wake Forest University. The awards are presented to a professor or administrator and a student from each institution who exemplify Dr. King’s spirit of justice and equality for the betterment of the community as well as the institutions.

Thesha Woodley has been appointed director of alumni engagement for Winston-Salem State University, where she will lead the creation of programs and services to effectively manage and sustain relationships with the over 30,000 alumni.

Winston-Salem State University has partnered with Barnes & Noble College to implement BNC First Day® Complete, a course material delivery model that will drive student success by ensuring all students are prepared to begin learning on the first day of class.

First Day® Complete, an innovative course material delivery model, addresses equitable access, convenience, and affordability across all courses at an institution by bundling the cost of course materials into tuition and ensuring students have all their materials for the semester available on or before the first day of class. WSSU will cover all associated expenses so that no additional costs will be passed on to students.

WSSU alum Tristen Johnson'16 becomes first lieutenant in the newly minted United States Space Force. 

WSSU Department of World Languages and Culture will now offer the STARTALK intensive Chinese summer program in a digital format. Beginning July 12, the three-week program that explores the Mandarin language and Chinese culture will be available to high school and college students from anywhere in the world.

WSSU-Novant Health Physical Therapy Neurologic Clinical Residency Program receives full accreditation from the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education. WSSU is the first HBCU in the nation to offer a fully accredited PT residency program.  

WSSU has been recognized once again as a Top 10 Military Friendly School for its caring and supportive learning environment for veteran and military students.

WSSU Red Sea of Sound Marching Band to be featured on ABC Network's “National Battle of the Bands: A Salute to HBCU Marching Bands” on Feb. 28.

Marquia James became a part of history when she added her makeup artistry to Vice President Kamala Harris’ Vogue cover look last month. Read more as James gives an inside look at her evolution as a makeup artist, her memories of WSSU and what’s in store for 2021.  

Former teacher, mentor, school administrator, school board member and Winston-Salem State University alumnus Victor “Vic” Johnson Jr.’61 dies of COVID-19 at age 85.

Ronnie Long, a North Carolina man who served over 40 years in prison after being wrongly convicted in 1976 and the focus of WSSU Justice Studies’ Ronnie Long Project, has been pardoned by N.C. Governor Roy Cooper.

Mona Zahir, WSSU’s 2016-17 student body president, was recently awarded the U.S. Department of State Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship.

As the first year of this new decade comes to an end, here’s a look back at some of the year’s most memorable WSSU news stories.

WSSU receives $30 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.   

Nationwide partners with WSSU to provide $100,000 sponsorship over the next four years for ongoing support of Computer Science and Information Systems and Analytics programming.

Nationwide partners with WSSU to provide $100,000 sponsorship over the next four years for ongoing support of Computer Science and Information Systems and Analytics programming.

NBA star and WSSU student Chris Paul teamed up with WSSU Student Government Association to organize “March to the Polls Pt. 2,” on Oct. 27.

Kelly White, a native of Hertford, North Carolina, has joined Winston-Salem State University’s Police and Public Safety department as deputy chief.

Elizabeth Barker Johnson’49, World War II Army Veteran and the first woman to enroll in the university on a GI Bill, passed away on Aug. 23 at the age of 100.

Dr. Ereka Williams joins WSSU as the associate dean of education, quality assurance, and community engagement as of July 1.

Eight questions with … Chief Amir Henry, director of campus police

Justin Ross, a business administration major, finance minor from Philadelphia, has secured a full-time, post-graduation job with Vanguard, one of the world’s largest investment management companies.

Six WSSU students accepted into the North Carolina You Can Vote Civics Fellowship Program, an eight-week program that develops community leaders that educate, register and mobilize voters.   

Winston-Salem State University has had a stellar year of grant funding. Over 12 months, more than $27 million has been awarded, bringing the university’s total portfolio to just over $51 million, in support of new and ongoing research projects.

Based on guidance from public health officials, feedback from our alumni, and our overriding concern for the health and well-being of the Ram Family, WSSU has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Homecoming event.

WSSU’s School of Health Sciences has secured just over $5 million in grants to directly support students in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Occupational Therapy departments.

Two WSSU students will be interning this summer through North Carolina Governor's Historically Black Colleges and Universities Internship Program. 

WSSU Job Corps Scholars Program has secured a U.S Department of Labor Job Corps Scholars grant for $1,186,900. The grant will allow the university to enroll 40 students per year in an intensive two-year career preparation program.

WSSU is competing for up to $50,000 in grants as part of Home Depot’s 2020 Home Depot Retool Your School Campus Improvement Grant Program.

Twelve future soldiers took the oath of enlistment on Winston-Salem State University’s campus during a mass Future Soldier Swearing-in Ceremony administered from space by Army astronaut Col. Andrew Morgan on Feb. 26.

Haley Gingles will be joining WSSU’s Office of Integrated Marketing Communications as the Director of Communications and Media Relations effective March 2, 2020.

A community commemoration vigil will be held in downtown Winston-Salem to mark the 60th anniversary of the event. The event is free and open to the public.

Business 40 reopens as Salem Parkway after being unavailable to motorists for nearly two years. 

WSSU Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson has been named one of the ten most dominant leaders of 2020 by HBCU Campaign Fund (HCF).

The last decade has seen incredible milestones at WSSU. Here are some of the highlights from 2010 to today.

WSSU has received nearly $2 million in new grants from the National Science Foundation NSF that will expand research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at the university.

Alexis McCrea ‘17 will make history as the first WSSU student to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree through the Early Assurance Program.  

The Spatial Justice Studio at the CDI has awarded $12,500 in grants for projects that focus on developing meaningful solutions to spatial justice issues in Winston-Salem.

WSSU is again joining thousands of organizations across the globe in participating in Giving Tuesday on Dec. 3. Here are five things you should know.