The Official Directory of Winston-Salem State University

Chancellor Reaves

Trained as an academic, I am focused squarely and keenly on the academic success of our students and this university.  The Strategic Plan that we recently shared with all faculty and staff certainly reflects my strong commitment to the core academic missions of this university, which are teaching and research.  For the next five years, the Plan will direct our efforts and resources toward supporting WSSU’s highest priority of providing the best possible education for our students.

First and foremost, the Strategic Plan is designed to retain and graduate our students in greater numbers.  That is the business that we are in, and  why the university exists – to produce college graduates.  The Strategic Plan is also designed to improve post-graduation outcomes for our students by better preparing them to compete in the 21^st century’s global economy.

At the heart and center of the Plan is the effort to reform our curriculum, which has not undergone a serious review or revision in more than 50 years.  Currently, we are trying to teach the students of the 21^st century using 20^th century methods.

For example, we ask 17 year-old students when they arrive on campus what they want to be and we require them to declare a major.  We then force them into classes and onto a career path before they have a chance to expand their minds, to learn how to learn, and before they have the information needed to make informed decisions about their futures.  We should not expect students to know exactly what it is that they want to do by the time they enter college, instead, we should expect them to be prepared to do whatever they want to do by the time they leave college.    Our goal is to be sure that they leave Winston-Salem State with a well-rounded educational experience – an experience that will prepare them to be successful in their field of choice.

What we try to teach too soon is subject matter, as opposed to teaching our students how to think.  If they develop critical and analytical thinking skills, while improving their ability to communicate, to speak and to write, they will be better prepared for career options that will certainly change over their years in the workforce.

Recently, I addressed a group of students and explained to them the importance of mastering what are considered the “soft” skills.  I told them that I am sure they realize that the knowledge they may need to be successful five years from now may not exist today.  That is how rapidly change comes in today’s environment.

Our students understand change.  They deal with it, for example, as they constantly update their electronic technology and change the ways that they communicate.  They also understand the need to keep pace with changes in the way that students are educated.   They know that the world around them is in constant flux. and  if they are to compete for the best jobs and for slots in the best graduate and professional schools, that their education must reflect the latest ways of thinking and learning about the world.

That’s what the Strategic Plan is truly all about – guiding Winston-Salem State University in its efforts to be an institution of higher education that is relevant in the 21^st century.

We are excited about this Plan and I know that some of the faculty are excited as well.  This new direction will enable our educators to sharpen their skills and to teach new courses that are tied more directly to their research because, as every academic knows, good research informs good teaching.

For some, as is always the case, change will be difficult, and it will come more slowly.  I understand that.  There are, however, goals and strategies in the Plan that will require the support of everyone on the campus – and that includes the faculty, staff and students.  Successful implementation of the Plan will require that we all assume responsibility for the success of our students.

Dr. Peggy Valentine

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has received approval from the University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors to establish a doctoral program in physical therapy that should be available in January 2011, pending approval of a level change by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

“We are extremely pleased with this decision and proud of the work that went into making this proposal a reality,” said Chancellor Donald J. Reaves.  “We have had tremendous success with our master’s degree program in physical therapy.  With the American Physical Therapy Association now planning to make doctoral level preparation a requirement for physical therapy education, we knew we had the foundation, the faculty and the ability to take our program to that next level.”

The WSSU doctoral degree will be a three-year program that includes 36 weeks of clinical education.  Students will also participate in community clinical practice and focused research experiences.  Currently, physical therapy students provide comprehensive, free physical therapy services to the Winston-Salem community through the Walkertown Community Care Center.  This Center is the largest of its kind in North Carolina providing high-quality healthcare services to the medically uninsured and underserved.

The university began offering the Masters of Physical Therapy (PT) program in 2000 and the enrollment has grown over 560% since that time, with graduates having an overall pass rate of 95% on the national boards.   The program has also established a national reputation in simulation training and was the first to fully integrate human patient simulation across the curriculum.  Further, the program also received funding to design a one-of-a-kind physical therapy serious game, which will be offered nationally to the professional rehabilitation community once completed.

“Our success and our on-going efforts in the field of physical therapy are extremely important as the demand for PT services continues to increase, particularly as the population ages,” said Dr. Peggy Valentine, dean of WSSU’s School of Health Sciences.  “Even with the current level of graduates from all of the PT programs, physical therapy has the most vacancies of any allied health discipline in the Upper Piedmont and western areas of the state.  As the profession migrates toward requiring a doctoral degree for entry, the WSSU program becomes even more important in meeting the health needs in North Carolina.”

Historically, the PT program at WSSU has had the highest graduate retention rate in the state with over 80% of graduates remaining in the state of North Carolina to serve its people.  The program is also uniquely qualified to address rapidly changing population demographics in North Carolina since it enrolls some four to 10 times the number of ethnic minorities than the national average.

The program also enjoys a strong research infrastructure, which includes a collaborative research laboratory shared with Wake Forest University’s Department of Surgical Services.  The WSSU and WFU Human Movement & Biodynamics Laboratory supports faculty research from both institutions, as well as graduate medical and physical therapy student training.  According to Dr. Conner-Kerr, chairperson of the Department of Physical Therapy, “this laboratory offers a state-of-the-art motion analysis system, as well as, the most comprehensive pressure-mapping system outside of the military educational centers.  This technology, along with other instrumentation in virtual reality, electromyography and postural assessment provides a significant infrastructure for conducting sponsored research.”

“With access to a state-of-the-art human movement lab, virtual health center with human patient simulators and rehabilitation gaming, and internationally known faculty, the program is well positioned to deliver the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree,” added Valentine.

The program currently houses eight full-time faculty, three staff and specialty adjunct faculty from the community and Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.  There are also plans to hire several new faculty members over the next three years.

Dr. Aileru

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) and Wake Forest University (WFU) officially kicked-off a new undergraduate neuroscience training cooperative prior to a regional student neuroscience conference held March 26-27.

The collaboration on the new training cooperative is designed to increase minority participation in neuroscience, education and research.  It will provide a neuroscience minor degree program for five students at WSSU, who will complete additional courses at WSSU and WFU over a two-year period.  At least one semester of research is also required.

“The Department of Life Sciences is excited to offer this neuroscience degree minor,” said Dr. Donna Durham-Pierre, department chair.  “This will serve as a stepping stone for students who are interested in graduate programs in neuroscience.”

Dr. Azeez Aileru, professor of neurobiology at WSSU and director of the university Biomedical Research Infrastructure Center (BRIC), was instrumental in developing the collaborative agreement between the two universities. He also was the keynote speaker at the pre-conference banquet that served as the official kick-off of the cooperative effort.

“BRIC and the Department of Life Sciences at WSSU have a critical mass of neuroscientists and we need to build upon these strengths,” Aileru said.  “Our goal is to create a neuroscience training ground for our students in which this program will firmly stand.”

Aileru also emphasized that underrepresentation of minorities in the biomedical sciences is well-documented, especially in neuroscience.  In 2006, approximately 60 of the 483 neuroscience degrees were awarded to underrepresented minorities, with only 3 percent going to African Americans.

“A 2005 survey noted that only 3 percent of U.S. citizens who are postdoctoral trainees in neuroscience are African American, Hispanic or Native American,” added Aileru.  “Consequently, the neuroscience program at WSSU will continue to support the goal of increasing minority participation.  Consequently, this will increase the involvement of minorities in important research areas such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.”

The actual conference, Symposium for Young Neuroscientists and Professors of the Southeast, provided opportunities for undergraduate students to present their research results and obtain feedback from neuroscientists, as well as to participate in workshops and learn about cutting-edge research in the field.  This year’s conference was hosted by Wake Forest with Winston-Salem State hosting the pre-conference banquet.

Chancellor Reaves

Chancellor Donald J. Reaves of Winston-Salem State University has been appointed to serve on the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Capital Financing Advisory Board by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

The Board provides advice and counsel to the Secretary of Education and the designated bonding authority on the most effective and efficient means of implementing construction financing on HBCU campuses, and advises Congress regarding the progress made in implementing the program.  Reaves’ term began immediately upon notification of the appointment and will end on September 30, 2013.

“I am honored by the appointment, as well as excited about the opportunity to work in this area of critical need for HBCUs around the nation,” Reaves said.  “We focus a tremendous amount of attention on the academic efforts of our schools, as well we should.  We cannot, however, underestimate the impact of our facilities and physical infrastructure on the quality of education we can provide.”

The HBCU Capital Financing Program was created by Congress in 1992 to provide low-cost capital to finance infrastructure improvements.  Loans may be used for classroom and laboratory facilities, dormitory and dining, student centers, libraries, instructional equipment, research instrumentation and capital equipment or fixtures.

Winston-Salem Mayor Pro Tempore Vivian Burke

The Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina has elected Dr. Vivian Burke to serve on the Board of Trustees of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), fulfilling a partial three-year term that ends on June 30, 2011.  Burke is a long-time educator who retired from the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System and is mayor pro tempore for the City of Winston-Salem.

“Dr. Burke’s experiences in education and community service will certainly be an asset to our Board of Trustees,” said Chancellor Donald J. Reaves.  “She has been a tireless advocate for causes that highlight minority achievement and we are extremely pleased that she will be bringing that energy and determination to this new role at WSSU.”

A former member of the Board of Trustees at Elizabeth City State University, Burke retired from the school system after having served as a guidance counselor and industrial education coordinator.  She has been a member of the Winston-Salem City Council since 1977 where, in addition to serving as mayor pro tempore, she chairs the Public Safety Committee.  Burke is a member of numerous civic and governmental organizations, including the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, the N. C. Mental Health Board, the N. C. League of Municipalities, National Women of Achievement and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.  She is also the founder of the local Black Political Awareness League and a former member of the N.C. Banking Commission.

Burke earned her undergraduate degree from Elizabeth City State University and her M.S. degree from North Carolina A&T State University.  In 2002, Livingstone College conferred upon her a Doctor of Humane Letters degree and she received a similar degree from Winston-Salem State University in 2004.  She is married to Logan Burke, a former state representative.  They have one son, L. Todd Burke, a Superior Court Judge, and two grandchildren.

Donald Stewart

On the recommendation of Chancellor Donald J. Reaves and with concurrence of the faculty committee on honorary degrees, the Board of Trustees of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) voted unanimously to award the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters to Dr. Donald M. Stewart and Earl Monroe at its meeting on March 19. Stewart served as president and chief executive officer of The College Board and president of Spelman College, while Monroe is a WSSU alumnus who was a star on the university’s 1967 NCAA Division II National Championship basketball team.

“Donald Stewart has made tremendous contributions to higher education over his career,” said Reaves.  “While he was leading The College Board, he helped to expand efforts to improve the academic preparation of minority and financially disadvantaged students.  Additionally, he served as president of Spelman College for 10 years, serving as the last male president at that historically Black women’s college in Atlanta. Donald also has a storied career in the not-for-profit arena working with the Ford Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust.  After retiring as chief executive officer of The Trust, he is now a visiting professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy Studies.”

Earl "The Pearl" Monroe

A 1967 WSSU graduate known as “Earl the Pearl,” Monroe was the number two choice in the 1967 NBA draft and became a standout player with the Baltimore Bullets, earning NBA Rookie of the Year honors.  He later joined the New York Knicks where he was a member of the 1973 NBA-title winning team.  In 1990, Monroe was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 1996 he was named to the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.

“Earl played a key role in WSSU being the first all-Black school to win the NCAA Division II National Title,” Reaves said. “Because of him, many more people became aware of our university.  There has never been any doubt that Earl certainly helped herald in a new era in basketball, but he has also been a great ambassador for Winston-Salem State University. Additionally, he has been active in various community programs, receiving many honors for his work such as the Harlem Professional Inspirational Award, the Most Outstanding Model for American Youth Award, and the YMCA Citizenship Award.”

Stewart and Monroe will receive their degrees during WSSU’s Spring Commencement on May 8 at 2 p.m. in the Lawrence Joel Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, where Stewart will serve as the commencement speaker.

Provost Brenda Allen

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has been selected by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) to receive a $100,000 Walmart Minority Student Success Award grant to support the university’s continuing efforts to provide additional academic assistance for first-generation college students.

WSSU was one of only 14 minority-serving institutions in the nation selected by IHEP to receive a grant and the only institution from in North Carolina.   The award, made possible by a $4.2 million grant to IHEP from the Walmart Foundation, is aimed at increasing and enhancing efforts to enroll, retain and graduate first-generation college students.

“Winston-Salem State is honored to be selected as one of just several institutions nationwide to receive the Walmart Minority Student Success Awards,” said Dr. Brenda Allen, WSSU provost.  “This award will enable us to expand our work with first-generation students, which is such an important part of the university’s efforts to move in new directions to support student success, while maintaining our mission and heritage as an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) of providing access to higher education for minority students.”

The Walmart grant will support a project designed to increase academic success in the first years of college so that students are prepared to enter and succeed in any major. The project will place special emphasis on students entering majors in the health and allied sciences.  It will focus on increasing the number of first-generation students from the freshman class each year who are retained in good academic standing and who graduate from the university within five years.

“We see a great many first-generation college students come to WSSU underprepared in the sciences, mathematics and reading,” Allen explained.  “They often struggle and quite frequently never graduate.  This is an unacceptable outcome for our students and also for economic development in the communities these students represent.  We must provide the academic support necessary to ensure that these students are able to succeed.”

In addition to the work done on the WSSU campus, university representatives will be attending the annual IHEP Summer Academy, where they will be able to work with representatives from other minority-serving institutions to share ideas on how better to serve first-generation college students and also to develop partnerships with these other colleges and universities.

“The institutions in our 2010 Minority Student Success cohort broaden and deepen the pool of minority-serving institutions committed to ensuring the success of the first-generation student both at their campuses and beyond,” said Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D., president of IHEP.  “We are pleased to be working with them on programs that are sure to serve as models to all of higher education.”

“At Walmart, we understand that education is critical to the lives and well-being of all Americans.  We’re proud to support giving that enables the success of first-generation college students,” said Walmart Foundation President Margaret McKenna.

Alvin Atkinson is interim director of the WSSU CCS.

The Center for Community Safety (CCS) at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) recently received a $100,000 grant to support its work with community groups, advocacy organizations, government agents and others in three North Carolina counties to reduce racial disparities in the state’s juvenile justice system.

The grant, which was awarded by the Public Welfare Foundation in Washington, D.C., will enable the CCS to build upon its efforts of engaging communities to use data-driven strategies to address juvenile crime and other community safety issues.   The three focus counties for this project are Forsyth, Guilford and Cabarrus.

“Obviously, we are very pleased to have been selected, as this is our first grant award from a national private foundation and it is a highly competitive process,” said Alvin Atkinson, interim executive director at the CCS.  “Receiving the grant also serves as validation that our work with our community partners is heading in the right direction.  From our beginning in 2001, we have focused on youth and have worked to inform and support our partners in making our communities a better place to live, learn, work and play.”

The grant CCS received was included in the Foundation’s Criminal and Juvenile Justice Program. The program seeks to establish more effective and fairer criminal and juvenile justice policies and institutions throughout the nation.  In addition, the Foundation’s grantmaking aims to lower overall rates of incarceration and help eliminate unequal treatment of African Americans and Latinos.

The $100,000 award, along with funding from the N. C. Governor’s Crime Commission and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in Winston-Salem, will enable the CCS to continue addressing two major issues that are prevalent in North Carolina’s Juvenile Justice System: the over-representation of minority youth, or disproportionate minority contact (DMC), and the need to improve outcomes for juveniles returning from secured facilities.

“DMC and juvenile reentry have become common phrasing to describe actions taken to support youth returning from secured custody and preventing them from future contact with the criminal justice system,” added Atkinson.

The Center for Community Safety is an important community outreach and engagement program for WSSU.  Over the years, it has become a national leader in promoting the creation, development and sustainability of successful community partnerships that create safer, more stable communities.

Todd Ervin

Todd Ervin, senior director of Brand Strategy and Market Insights for International Speedway Corporation (ISC), has been named Chair of the Advisory Council for the Motorsport Management Program at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU).

“We are extremely fortunate to have the leadership that Todd Ervin brings to the table, as well as his passionate commitment to the future leaders of motorsports,” said Dr. Travis Teague, coordinator of the WSSU program.  “Our Advisory Council is extremely important to the program because its members provide a direct link to the industry and also provide our students with hands-on learning opportunities.”

“WSSU has been and will continue to be a great partner for ISC in numerous parts of our core business,” Ervin said of his involvement with the program.  “The leadership Dr. Teague and the university provide produces students that are motivated, professional and ready for whatever career they choose.”

As a senior director, Ervin is involved in ISC’s work as a leading promoter of motorsports activities.  In addition to promoting more than 100 racing events and numerous other motorsport-related activities annually, the company owns and/or operates 13 of the nation’s major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway.  ISC also owns and operates MRN radio, the nation’s largest independent sports radio network.

“Todd has been instrumental in providing several experiential learning trips for our students,” Teague said.  “We have participated in research projects with their tracks and ISC representatives, including work at Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway, and we will have students working at Martinsville this weekend in both race operations and the media center.”

Other members of the Advisory Council include: NASCAR Team Owner Richard Childress; Jeff Burton, Sprint Cup driver; and Dawn Harris, NASCAR’s director of diversity.

Winston-Salem State University’s Center for Community Safety recently awarded $27,000 in grants for three community organizations as part of its work as a Weed and Seed agency funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Capacity Development Office.

Organizations receiving funds were Southside Rides, Union Baptist Church and Goler Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church.

As representatives of Weed and Seed Twin City East-West Partnership watch, (seated L to R) Cheryl Harry of Union Baptist Church; David Moore of Southside Rides; and Pastor Seth O. Lartey of Goler Memorial, sign grant agreements.

“The Weed and Seed program focuses resources in a two-pronged approach to reduce neighborhood crime,” said Alvin Atkinson, interim director, Center for Community Safety.  “Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in ‘weeding out’ criminals, while community and faith-based organizations are involved with public agencies in ‘seeding’ the neighborhood by providing programs that can prevent crime.  Through our local Weed and Seed site, the Twin City East-West Partnership, we are able to award sub grants to support the efforts of these organizations that are serving their neighborhoods.”

Southside Rides will receive $9,000 to support its training program for young people referred by the court system and inmates at the Forsyth County Detention Center.  Formed in 2005 by David Moore, the program provides training in automobile detail, body repair and mechanics, as well as workplace attitudes and personal behaviors that support students’ abilities to be productive members of society.  Through the project, its participants are provided meaningful activities and develop useful employment skills.

The $9,000 grant to Union Baptist Church will be used to expand its Character Football League (CFL) for boys and girls ages five to 13 into the Rolling Hills community.  In addition to playing football, youth involved in the program will take part in character development sessions, crime prevention workshops, healthy eating clinics and tutoring sessions.  The CFL is an outgrowth of Union Baptist’s efforts to provide youth a positive educational, character and athletic experience while addressing an array of issues ranging from gang violence prevention to childhood obesity.

Goler Institute for Development and Education (GIDE), the educational arm of Goler Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, will use its $9,000 grant to implement a community-based revitalization project called DIVAS, or Dreams Initiating Virtuous Alternative Solutions, in the Rolling Hills community.  DIVAS will focus on at least 10 women to help them improve their leadership skills and personal growth as a means of developing a well-functioning Rolling Hills Resident Association.  The project will also focus on improving parenting skills and developing a community crime-prevention plan.

The Center for Community Safety (CCS) is one of more than 250 Weed and Seed sites throughout the country that focuses on supporting law enforcement and also collaborative efforts to reduce crime with a neighborhood approach.  Established in 2001, the CCS is an important community outreach and engagement program for WSSU and over the years it has become a national leader in promoting the creation, development and sustainability of successful community partnerships that create safer, more stable communities.

Michael Evans

February 2010 will always be remembered as a special time for Michael Evans, a junior Psychology major at Winston-Salem State University. He joined the leadership of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), presidents of historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) across the country, key civil rights leaders and other select HBCU students as President Barack Obama signed the executive order, “Promoting Excellence, Innovation, and Sustainability at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)” at the White House.

The David Bohnett Foundation supported this extraordinary outreach opportunity by aiding NBJC and the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) HBCU Project to sponsor two Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, and Transgender (LGBT) students from HBCUs invited to Washington for this event.

“The National Black Justice Coalition was honored to participate in this historic event by bringing these future leaders to Washington,” said Sharon J. Lettman, executive director and CEO of NBJC.  “We feel that it is imperative to our sustainability and our future to mentor our youth for leadership positions in the movement.”

Evans serves on the executive board of the WSSU Gay-Straight Student Alliance and as a University Lead Health Peer Educator for the Office of Student Development. He served as a panelist at the 2009 Equality North Carolina Conference and was recently selected as a 2010 Emerging Leader for the Human Rights Campaign Carolinas Gala. He has been featured on a local radio station for his HIV/AIDS awareness efforts and advocacy work within the Black and Latino communities, and was recently selected as the new director of Support Initiatives for Speak-Life, a new non-profit organization that supports HIV/AIDS education and training.

“This goes beyond any opportunity that you can bottle up.  This is part of history, and I was incredibly honored,” said Evans.  “I will be able to look back on this and say the 44th President of the United States, the first Black President, acknowledged that I exist as an LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, and Questioning) student in America.”

HRC’s HBCU program launched in 2002 in the wake of a swell of violence against LGBT students at HBCUs.

More teacher-leaders preparing to enter America's classrooms.

Fourteen new members were recently inducted into the three-year old Real Men Teach (RMT) program during a ceremony in McNeil Banquet Hall on March 25. In addition to the new protégés, the program also welcomed 15 new mentors.

The keynote speaker for the invitation-only event, which welcomed more than 100 guests, was Jeff Davis, assistant athletic director for player relations and external affairs within the Clemson University football program. He also served as the primary spokesman and director for Clemson University’s “Call Me Mister” program.

Jeff Davis makes a point he wants the protégés to remember during his address.

The former Clemson All-American linebacker and Tampa Bay NFL star delivered a powerful message to an attentive audience.  He urged the protégés to “graduate from success to significance.” Click here to hear excerpts from his memorable remarks.

In addition to the induction ceremony, the audience was entertained by WSSU vocalists and musicians, some of whom are RMT protégés.  During the program, several mentors and protégés were recognized for their various accomplishments in education and service.

WSSU’s Real Men Teach program is housed within the School of Education and Human Performance. The program is designed to encourage more males to pursue careers in education. The primary goal of the program is to enhance the visibility, quantity and quality of male students graduating from WSSU in the field of education.

Currently, 43 men from WSSU’s faculty and staff, and members of the community, serve as volunteers to mentor the program’s 35 protégés.

“Having a male in the classroom that can provide the personal, academic, and social support for children in kindergarten through 12th grade is critical in student development, particularly for African-American male children,” said Dr. Cynthia Jackson-Hammond, dean of the WSSU School of Education and Human Performance and founder of Real Men Teach.

A report from the National Education Association shows that the number of male teachers is at a 40-year low. For African-American males in the profession, the numbers are even lower. Leaders at WSSU are hopeful that the new program will change this demographic by getting more males to pursue careers in education.

For more information about the “Real Men Teach” program, please contact Project Coordinator Holly Madrey at 336-750-2467 or e-mail her at madreyhe@wssu.edu.

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) joined with the U.S. Postal Service for a Women’s History Month event, which paid tribute to North Carolinian Anna Julia Cooper with a special stamp dedication, held on March 29 in WSSU’s Diggs Gallery.

Postmaster David Barcio , Chancellor Reaves (right) and Dr. Melody Pierce (far right), WSSU vice chancellor for students, unveil new commemorative stamp.

Cooper was a Raleigh native and noted educator, scholar and activist on the 19th and 20th centuries. She was also a mentor to WSSU founder Simon Green Atkins. Her image marks the 32nd entry in the U.S. Black Heritage Stamps series.

WSSU Chancellor Donald Julian Reaves and Postmaster David Barcio led a host of university, local and student dignitaries on hand to celebrate the life of Cooper, who left Saint Augustine’s College in 1884 for Washington, DC, and helped make its school system one of the best in the nation for African-American students. She later became the fourth African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. and the first to do so at the University of Paris Sorbonne. She wrote several books and articles and spoke publicly about inequalities in education, job opportunities and the justice system.

The stamps are now available at post offices nationwide and online at www.usps.com/shop

Rokken Like Dokken

Winston-Salem State University’s (WSSU’s) Diggs Gallery opened its spring season with a dual presentation of artwork created by WSSU seniors and the WSSU Art Faculty.

The presentation entitled Interpretations: Rams Create, the 18th Annual Senior Art Show and Views from Our World: Works by the WSSU Art Faculty, opened with a reception on Friday, March 26. Both exhibitions will remain on view through May 8.

“This year’s student exhibition includes a diverse range of work from students working in both the computer and studio arts,” said Leo Morrissey, assistant professor of Art.  “The work ranges from computer animation to traditional drawing, with everything in between.  The show also highlights the high-quality work being done by graduating WSSU art students in a wide range of media, and the exhibition includes work that the entire university community can enjoy and be proud of.”

Interpretations: Rams Create features works completed under Morrissey’s guidance by graduating art majors Kristine Beam, Romar Cagler, David Chambers, Lamar Conner, Angela Davis, Ryan Gilliam, Justin Hardy, Justin Jenkins, Shaqueda Johnson, Tarrik Logan, Nichola Lumpkin, Yaphet Malbrough, Whitney Middlebrooks, Jessica Savage, Richard Serge, Gordon Teagle, Travis Thompson and Stanley Williams.

Views from Our World: Works by the WSSU Art Faculty is a biannual exhibition featuring works by faculty members in the university’s Fine Arts program. It offers the perspectives of a diverse group of artists working in a variety of media, all exploring the ways in which they visualize and create the world around them.  It provides a glimpse of the different points of view of these 12 contemporary artists.

These “views” include representations of themselves and others as seen in the oil portraits by Juie Rattley and Al Dean.  Landscape paintings by Justine Linville and photographs by Alison Fleming and Ginger Williamson provide numerous reflections of how they see the natural world.  Paintings by James Huff and Marvette Aldrich, along with drawings by Thomas Tucker, exemplify the manner in which artists interpret and analyze ideas and objects. Prints by Scott Betz and films by Christine Kirouac reveal worlds created by artists with vastly different effects. Images of the KP Urban Art Environment by Tammy Evans detail the efforts to transform vacant property in a blighted area of Detroit into a place for the community to gather, garden and display art works.

Installation pieces by Leo Morrissey, created in collaboration with both his students and musician Tom Judson, reveal how an artist places himself into different environments and responds to outside forces.

Dr. Joti Sekhon

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) has been named one of ten colleges selected to participate in an international studies pilot group to build study abroad bridges with institutions in India.

At its 5th Annual Best Practices Conference in New York recently, the Institute of International Education (IIE) announced the selection of pilot group participants for the International Academic Partnerships Program (IAPP) from a pool of over 70 applicants.  The new initiative is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), and is one of the first major programs of IIE’s new Center for International Partnerships in Higher Education.

Over the course of the next year, the ten institutions will participate in a number of training activities and webinars focused on implementing and sustaining partnerships, and will join a study tour to India in the fall to meet with potential Indian partner campuses. Each participant has committed to forming a campus task force to work on prospective partnerships, conducting an institution-wide inventory of activities pertaining to India, and developing a strategic plan focused on partnership with India.

The other selected institutions were: California State University – San Bernardino, College of William and Mary, Florida Atlantic University, Oakland Community College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Spelman College, St. Cloud State University, The University of Tulsa and University of South Carolina

“I am delighted that WSSU has been selected to participate in IIE’s pilot program for developing linkages with institutions in India,” said Dr. Joti Sekhon, WSSU’s international programs director.  “The leadership, mentoring and capacity-building core services provided by IIE will enable WSSU to identify suitable institutions in India for partnering with respect to academic programs, research collaboration, faculty and student exchanges, and study abroad programs.”

The size, diversity and complexity of India present a significant challenge in terms of identifying highly accredited and academically compatible higher education institutions for effective partnering. However, India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, the world’s largest democracy, and a strategic player in international affairs. India is also poised to overtake China as the most populous country, so it is imperative that WSSU enhance the skills and capacities of its faculty and students throughout the curriculum to engage with India. Participating in the IAPP program will enable WSSU to develop a coordinated and integrated strategy to move to the next level in terms of campus-wide and strategic engagement with India, Sekhon noted.

Sekhon collaborated on developing the proposal with Dr. Suresh Gopalan, WSSU assistant dean of graduate programs in the School of Business and Economics, and Dr. Vanessa Durren-Winfield, WSSU director of research, School of Health Sciences.

India has been the leading place of origin for international students in the United States since 2001/02. There were more than 103,000 international students from India studying in the U.S. in 2008/09, an increase of nine percent from the previous year.

Since 1950, more than 5,000 Indian students and scholars have come to the U.S. and more than 3,100 American teachers, scholars, and students have gone to India through the Fulbright program. The U.S. and Indian Governments recently signed a historic new Fulbright agreement, effectively doubling the number of Fulbright-Nehru grants for American and Indian students and scholars.

Given this dramatic growth in exchanges and the increasing priority both countries have placed on internationalization of higher education and expanded academic collaboration, higher education institutions are increasingly seeking out partnerships with counterparts. These efforts will enhance the study-abroad opportunities for students, expand curricular offerings, advance joint research, and prepare students with the international experiences and cross-cultural tools needed in their careers.  However, many institutions face significant challenges in navigating education systems in other countries, identifying appropriate partners and developing effective institutional partnership strategies.

Yolanda Childs

Yolanda Childs, an adjunct professor in Winston-Salem State University’s (WSSU’s) Department of Political Science, Arthur Hardin, WSSU coordinator of community service, and Rudy Anderson, communications project manager in the WSSU Office of Marketing and Communications, spend an hour each week in a Winston-Salem/Forsyth County high school mentoring students in danger of not graduating.

“My job is to mirror back to this young man a different reflection of what he is,” explains Arthur Hardin, who mentors a 9th grader at Carver High School.  “I help him see his potential and to think long term about the possibilities his future holds.”

Yolanda, Arthur and Rudy participate in programs managed by Graduate. It pays., a collaborative of over thirty organizations in our community, including Winston-Salem State University, that have come together to create a common plan of action to reduce the number of students who drop out of local high schools.

Big Brothers Big Sisters matches community-volunteer caring adults with repeating 9th graders and the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce through their Senior Academy matches community-volunteer caring adults with 12th graders.

In each program, the volunteer caring adult commits to spend one hour each week with the student at the high school during the school day. The volunteer commits for one school year, beginning in October or November.

Arthur Hardin

“My primary role is motivator.  I especially like working with students that others may have given up on,” says Yolanda.  She was a single teenage mother and graduated despite those who discouraged her, so Yolanda has a special place in her heart for struggling students.  She was the first in her family to graduate from high school; her two older siblings dropped out.

Caring Adults do not tutor students.  If the student requires academic help, the guidance staff will make those connections.  Rather, Caring Adults listen with open hearts and minds, help the student to create a positive vision for their future and make good decisions, celebrate the student’s successes and encourage them through setbacks or disappointments.

Rudy’s 12th grader, a shy young man who transferred to Carver High School this year, has opened up as their relationship has grown.

“Being consistent, showing up every week helps develop trust,” Rudy shares.  “Just knowing that I care really makes a difference to him.”

Arthur had concerns about his ability to relate to a 9th grader but says Big Brothers Big Sisters did a wonderful job of matching him with his student.  Arthur officiates high school basketball and football, and his student has played football.  These common experiences gave them a comfortable place to start.

Both Yolanda’s and Rudy’s students want to go to college.  Since the parents of most of the students in the Senior Academy did not attend a college or university, the Caring Adult can be especially helpful in guiding the student through the process of registering for SATs and applying to colleges.

Sheryll Strode, volunteer leader for Graduate. It pays., says that the caring adult programs are working.  Nine out of 10 of the students matched with a caring adult to date have successfully advanced to the next grade or graduated.  The number of students matched has grown from 50 in the 2007/2008 school year to 222 this year.

Rudy Anderson

Graduate. It pays.  and the students benefit from Winston-Salem State University in another important way, according to Sheryll.  Communities in Schools matches college students majoring in psychology, social work and rehabilitation counseling with 10th and 11th graders who have failed two or more core classes.  Winston-Salem State University students have filled most of these intern Graduation Coach positions serving over 200 high school students in the past three years.

Next year Graduate. It pays. plans to match 390 students and will need 200 volunteers to work with 9th and 12th graders.  Volunteers will work with students at Atkins, Carver, North, Reynolds, East and Glenn High Schools.

“I consider it a privilege to work with these students and plan to continue my involvement in the Senior Academy,” says Yolanda. “I wish we had more adults because the need is great.”

Rudy adds, “We are making a difference, one child at a time.”

“Some of these students don’t dream.  How can they dream if they don’t even realize the possibilities?  We help them dream,” states Arthur.

For more information or to volunteer please go to www.graduateitpays.org

to Darryl Nash, recently named interim director of Financial Aid while the university conducts a national search for a new director. Nash will conduct a thorough assessment of the area and lead an improvement effort to bring WSSU’s financial aid department in line with the best practices in the field. Nash has significant past experience implementing the Banner financial aid module and served as a consultant on several other projects involving financial aid systems.  Prior to his consulting work, Nash served in multiple positions, including director of financial aid, at Holmes Community College in Mississippi and was involved in systems implementation for various Fortune 500 companies.   Tomikia LeGrande, assistant vice chancellor for Enrollment Management, will be responsible for the Financial Aid staff and deal with student concerns during the interim period.

The Division of Students Affairs rallied student support for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The student relief aid organization, Rams H.O.P.E., recently presented the Red Cross with a check for more than $2,000 to help support the Haitian relief effort.

"Put Green in Your Ram Routine"

to the WSSU Sustainability Committee and student volunteers led by Victor Kirk for their efforts in making Earth Week a memorable experience. Earth Week was observed April 12-16 with a number of activities designed to show what individuals can do to reduce their carbon footprint under the theme “Put Green in your Ram Routine.” Week-long activities included trayless dining facilities, playing sustainability movies throughout the Thompson Center, music in the breezeway to accompany planned Green events, a “Can and Can’t” Recycle materials display, and chalked sidewalks with Green themes. Thematic student-driven activities occurred throughout the week in the Cleon F. Thompson Center Breezeway from 12 noon until 2 p.m.  Events included fashion and step shows, speeches, tips on water and energy conservation, recycling, dorm recycling contests, and the Green Olympics, complete with music. Special thanks to sophomore biology major Brittani George, winner of the Earth Week slogan contest (Put Green in Your Ram Routine) and to freshman computer graphics/animation major Marquise Staton for the design of the Earth Week logo. WSSU students and staff  closed the week by manning a booth at the “Planet Party” Earth Day event on April 17 at Wake Forest University. To see more Earth Week photos check out the WSSU Flickr site. Click here to get a feel for what Earth Week on campus looked and sounded like.

to Chevara Orrin, director of Conferences and Institutes, who was recently named Interim Director of Business Services, while a national search for a new director is being conducted.  Business Services includes the bookstore, food services, Conferences and Institutes, copy/printing shop, Campus Post Office, vending, Ram Card and the WSSU ticket office.

to Clarence McKee and the Upward Bound Program of Winston-Salem State University, which received a $5,000 grant from Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Forsyth County to provide financial literacy classes for some of the juniors and  seniors in the program.  So far, 25 Upward Bound students have participated in the financial literacy workshops.  When students attend these workshops, they learn how to open and manage a checking account, conduct online banking, and create a financial plan.  Each student is given $100 to deposit in a checking or savings account with Allegacy Federal Credit Union and must manage the account through web-banking.  The 25 students must attend 16 hours of financial literacy and must be present for 90 percent of the classes to receive credit.

Upward Bound provides academic enrichment support for students in grades nine – 12 to assist them in preparing to successfully complete high school and to enroll in a postsecondary institution of higher education.  The program serves 80 students and has been in operation at WSSU since the 1960s.  Currently, the Upward Bound Program is housed in Anderson Center, room 141.

to Dr. Dennis Felder, a member of the sport management faculty and assistant compliance officer, who was recently named to serve as the Compliance Officer for the Athletic Department until an interim or permanent Associate Director of Athletics for NCAA Compliance is identified.

to Arthur Hardin and the Project Volunteer program. Approximately 20 Winston-Salem State University students traveled to the UNC-TV Research Triangle Park studios to participate in the Festival 2010 pledge drive broadcast on March 20 from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.  These students joined other volunteers in recording financial pledges called in by UNC-TV viewers across North Carolina and portions of southern Virginia.  Their participation in the Festival 2010 broadcast continues a tradition of “Ram presence” established over the previous six years by WSSU students, alumni, faculty and staff in support of the station’s annual pledge drive campaign.

The show is coming!!!

For the WSSU Friends of the Library, 25th Anniversary Celebration on Friday, November 5, 2010 from 6:30–10:30 p.m. at the Village Inn Conference Center in Clemmons, NC. For more information contact Dr. Mae Rodney at 336-750-2446 or email her at rodneyml@wssu.edu or contact Rachel Simon at 336-750-2442 or email her at simonra@wssu.edu.

Benson puts everything into his performance at WSSU.

Appreciated as both a musician and performer by millions, George Benson has always had the dual role of expert improviser and vibrant entertainer. He delivered both roles during his recent rousing concert at WSSU. Benson’s performance was the culminating event of WSSU’s Lyceum Cultural Events series. To see more photos of Benson’s performance go to the Flickr site on the WSSU homepage.

Bolt, the Winston-Salem Dash baseball team mascot, really hammed it up when he joined the drumline of the Red Sea of Sound on opening night at the new BB&T Ballpark on  April 13. See more photos of the opening night experience on the WSSU Flickr site.