WSSU Trustee Donates $25,000 for Scholarships

"WINSTON-SALEM, NC – A $25,000 donation from a member of the Winston-Salem State University Board of Trustees will create scholarships for financially challenged students while supporting academic excellence at the university.

WSSU Trustee Sue Henderson and her husband, Doug, created the Sue and Doug Henderson Endowed Scholarship in honor of WSSU Provost Dr. Brenda A. Allen’s transformative leadership for excellence in education. 

“Sue has served on the academic affairs committee and during that time she has come to understand, support and be an advocate for the academic curriculum enhancements made at the university over recent years,” said Michelle Cook, WSSU vice chancellor for advancement.

Henderson has been a member for the WSSU board of trustees since being elected by the UNC Board of Governors in 2009.  During that time she has chaired the Advancement Committee and served as a member of the Academic Affairs and Advancement committees.

 “During my board tenure, I have been able to witness a total transformation under Provost Brenda Allen’s leadership from conception to execution, and it has resulted in a dramatic evolution and upgrade in quality and standards,” said Henderson, who is senior vice president and regional director at Wells Fargo Wealth Management in Winston-Salem.   “It is our pleasure to contribute to the elevation of the quality of education at Winston-Salem State University.”"

- A Press Release

The College of WSSU Receives More than $1 Million in Grants for Undergraduate Research

"WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Professors in the College of Arts, Sciences, Business and Education of Winston-Salem State University have received $1,181,744 in grants to support projects that can positively impact student education and success through undergraduate research efforts.

“The funding from these grants will enable WSSU to provide our undergraduate students with unique research opportunities that will enhance their educational experience,” said Dr. Corey D. B. Walker, dean of The College.  “Each of these projects is aligned with the new and bold science endeavors that are part of WSSU’s strategic plan and new science effort.  This Transformative Science Initiative is designed to facilitate the integration of student academic success, faculty teaching and research excellence.”

The Minority Access to Research Careers for Undergraduate Student Training in Academic Research (MARC U*STAR) program has received $151,351 in funding that is renewable annually for five years for a total of $756,755 from the National Institutes of Health.  The grant will allow WSSU to continue this program that trains students from underrepresented groups to hold leadership positions in cutting-edge scientific research.

“Students from various majors including biology, chemistry, psychology and exercise science receive extensive hands-on laboratory research experiences that strengthen their academic and research credentials,” said Dr. Azeez Aileru, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and director of the university’s Biomedical Research Infrastructure Center who will continue to serve as the principal investigator for the grant.  “Students are then better prepared for high caliber graduate training at the Ph.D. level in biomedical and behavioral research.” 

Dr. Maria Ngu-Schwemlein, a chemistry professor, will serve as the principal investigator for a $399,989 grant from the National Science Foundation to enhance undergraduate research experiences in the chemistry curriculum.  This targeted infusion project will lay the foundation for effective research skills that will ultimately promote student success by adapting high impact and evidence-based educational practices.

“This grant will support a collaborative effort by a team of chemistry faculty to strengthen undergraduate research skills to help students navigate the challenges in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) research and also to increase retention and success of minority students in the chemical sciences,” said  Ngu-Schwemlein.  

The university also received a $25,000 grant from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund to determine the types of undergraduate research experiences that lead to student retention and graduation in STEAM fields, which incorporates art and design into the traditional STEM areas as a catalyst for new technologies and discoveries.  Dr. Johanna Porter-Kelly, associate professor of biological sciences, will be working with Dr. Vanessa Duren-Winfield, assistant professor of healthcare management and director of research in the WSSU School of Health Sciences, to engage students in the STEAM pipeline that are often overlooked for research opportunities.  Students enrolled in the project will be Thurgood Marshall Fellows.

“These students will be engaged in research training related to the sickle cell trait with additional emphasis on training in research methodology and working with human subjects,” Porter-Kelley explained.  “The combination of conducting experiments and clinical research will lead to an interdisciplinary project that promotes teamwork and collaboration working across STEAM disciplines.”"

A Press Release

Chancellor Reaves Receives Honorary Degree during WSSU Commencement

DONALD JULIAN REAVES

"Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) bestowed an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree on its chancellor, Donald Julian Reaves, during the university’s commencement ceremony on Friday, May 16.

The Board of Trustees of the university voted unanimously to confer the degree to recognize Reaves for his contributions to WSSU since becoming chancellor in August 2007.  The degree was a surprise for Reaves who has announced he is stepping down at the end of the year. 

“Receiving the degree was certainly an honor and I deeply appreciate the recognition,” Reaves said.  “It was all the more impactful since this would be my last commencement as chancellor and also because it was truly a surprise.  The university has made tremendous progress in the past few years and, like most successes, it was possible only through the hard work and dedication of our trustees, faculty and staff.  We all can take a great deal of pride in what has been accomplished.”

Reaves was cited for using his vision for the future of WSSU as the basis for the university’s strategic plan which focuses on student success.  The plan provided goals and objectives designed to assure the university’s progress despite major reductions in state funding.

To attract better prepared students and impact retention and graduation rates, the university has increased admission standards three times since Reaves came in 2007.  The retention rate for first year students has climbed from approximately 68 percent in 2006 to more than 81 percent in 2012.  Among the retention rates for all HBCUs in the country, U.S. News & World Report recently ranked WSSU as number five.  Additionally, the number of students graduating from WSSU has risen from 824 in 2006-2007 to nearly 1,600 in the 2013-2014 academic year.

During Reaves tenure, the university also gained approval to offer doctoral programs in physical therapy and nursing; reduced the size of the student body to align with available resources; and added three new buildings to the campus, including a Student Success Center.

Reaves also led the charge to implement an undergraduate curriculum grounded in the tradition of the liberal arts and designed to prepare students to be competitive in the global, knowledge-based economy of the 21^st century.  The new curriculum emphasizes developing the skills that employers seek such as critical thinking, rigorous analysis, creative problem solving and good communication."

A Press Release