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:Winston-Salem State University

{{Short description|Historically black university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US}}

{{distinguish|Salem State University|Salem University|Salem College}}

{{Infobox university

| name = Winston-Salem State University

| image = Winston-Salem State University seal.svg

| image_size = 175

| motto = "Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve."

| former_name = {{collapsible list|

  • Slater Industrial Academy (1892-1899)
  • Slater Industrial and Slater Normal School (1899-1925)
  • Winston-Salem Teachers College (1925-1963)
  • Winston-Salem State College (1963-1969)

}}

| established = {{start date and age|September 28, 1892}}

| type = Public historically black university

| parent = University of North Carolina

| endowment = $49.8 million (2019)As of June 30, 2019. {{cite web |url=https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Nacubo/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2019-Endowment-Market-Values--Final-Feb-10.ashx? |title=U.S. and Canadian 2019 NTSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2019 Endowment Market Value, and Percentage Change in Market Value from FY18 to FY19 (Revised) |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA |access-date=September 26, 2020}}

| chancellor = Bonita J. Brown

| provost = Anthony Graham

| faculty = 400

| administrative_staff = 800

| students = 5,190{{cite web |title=WSSU enrollment is highest since 2014 |url=https://www.wssu.edu/about/news/articles/2018/09/wssu-enrollment-is-highest-since-2014.html |website=Winston-Salem State University |access-date=7 March 2019}}

| undergrad = 4,741

| postgrad = 449

| city = Winston-Salem

| state = North Carolina

| country = United States

| coordinates = {{Coord|36.0895|-80.2251|display=inline,title}}

| campus = Midsize city

| campus_size = {{convert|117|acre|km2}}

| colors = Scarlet and white
{{college color boxes|Winston-Salem State Rams}}{{cite manual |url=https://www.wssu.edu/about/chancellors-office/oimc/university-branding/_files/documents/wssu-brand-style-guide-2017-rev2-sm.pdf |title=Winston-Salem State University Brand Guide |date=July 20, 2017 |access-date=September 5, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906091950/https://www.wssu.edu/about/chancellors-office/oimc/university-branding/_files/documents/wssu-brand-style-guide-2017-rev2-sm.pdf |archive-date=September 6, 2017 }}

| sports_nickname = Rams

| sporting_affiliations = NCAA Division II - CIAA

| website = {{url|https://www.wssu.edu/|wssu.edu}}

| logo = Winston-Salem State University logo.svg

| logo_size = 250

| free_label2 = Newspaper

| free2 = The News Argus

| accreditation = SACS

| mascot = Amon the Ram

| academic_affiliation = TMCF

}}

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is a historically black public university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system.

History

Winston-Salem State University was founded as "Slater Industrial Academy" on September 28, 1892. In 1925, the North Carolina General Assembly renamed the school "Winston-Salem Teachers College" and the North Carolina State Board of Education allowed the college to award elementary teacher education degrees, making it the first black institution to provide this specialized training.{{Cite web |title=University History - Winston-Salem State University |url=https://www.wssu.edu/student-life/student-handbook/university-history.html#:~:text=Winston%2DSalem%20State%20University%20was,Industrial%20and%20Slater%20Normal%20School.}}

In 2020, MacKenzie Scott donated $30 million to Winston-Salem State. Her donation is the largest single gift in the university's history.{{Cite web|url=https://myfox8.com/news/winston-salem-state-receives-30-million-donation-from-mackenzie-scott-largest-ever-gift-from-a-single-donor/|title=Winston-Salem State receives $30 million donation from MacKenzie Scott; largest-ever gift from a single donor|date=15 December 2020}}

Academics

Winston-Salem State offers over 40 academic majors and 10 graduate degrees. The school enrolls approximately 5,200 students and employs 400 faculty and over 550 staff members.{{cite web |title=WSSU Fact Book 2015-16 |url=https://www.wssu.edu/about/assessment-and-research/_Files/documents/2015-16.pdf |access-date=7 March 2019}}

=Colleges & Departments=

  • College of Arts, Sciences, Businesses, and Education
  • School of Health Sciences
  • Graduate and Professional Programs
  • University College and Lifelong Learning

=Rankings=

File:SG Atkins House.jpg

Winston-Salem State University was ranked the #7 top college in the United States by the Social Mobility Index college rankings.{{cite web |title=Social Mobility Index 2018 |url=http://www.socialmobilityindex.org |access-date=7 March 2019}}

Winston-Salem State has been ranked #27 by U.S. News & World Report in the Top Public Comprehensive Baccalaureate Colleges of the South category between 2001 and 2009. By 2016, the university had fallen to a ranking of #84 in the same category.{{cite web|url=http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/winston-salem-nc/winston-salem-state-2986|title=Winston-Salem State University | Best College | US News|publisher=colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com|access-date=2014-01-25|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090828055120/http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/winston-salem-nc/winston-salem-state-2986|archive-date=2009-08-28}}

In 2024, Washington Monthly ranked Winston-Salem State 96th among 438 national universities in the U.S. based on Winston-Salem State's contribution to the public good, as measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service. Washington Monthly also ranked Winston Salem State 24th in Social Mobility.{{Cite web |title=2024 National University Rankings |url=https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024-college-guide/national/ |access-date=2025-03-01 |website=Washington Monthly |language=en-US}}

Library

C. G. O’Kelly Library is the main academic library on the campus of Winston-Salem State University, which was originally the Slater Industrial Academy. The original library was housed in Blair Hall until 1967 when the new library was built and O’Kelly Library has gone through two additions and one renovation within the past forty years.{{cite web|url=https://www.wssu.edu/academics/cg-okelly-library/about-okelly.html|title=Okelly Library|website=wssu.edu|access-date=October 20, 2018}}

Campus

The campus has more than 40 buildings covering {{convert|117|acre|km2}}.{{cite web |url=http://catalog.wssu.edu/content.php?catoid=8&navoid=258 |title=Historical Sketch - Winston-Salem State University - Acalog ACMS™ |website=Catalog.wssu.edu |access-date=2016-09-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20160912070621/http://catalog.wssu.edu/content.php?catoid=8&navoid=258 |archive-date=2016-09-12 }} WSSU's Diggs Gallery was recognized as one of the top African-American galleries in its region.{{cite web |url=https://www.wssu.edu/about/why-wssu/default.aspx |title=About WSSU - Why WSSU? - Transformation Happens Here |website=Wssu.edu |date=2016-08-05 |access-date=2016-09-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824052842/https://wssu.edu/about/why-wssu/default.aspx |archive-date=2016-08-24 }}

Student activities

=Athletics=

{{See also|Winston-Salem State Rams}}

File:USMC-120303-M-PR201-235.jpg

Winston-Salem State University is currently a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) in NCAA Division II. From the 2007–08 season through the 2009–10 season, the Rams competed in the NCAA's Division I Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), despite being a transitional member that was attempting to attain full membership within the MEAC or within NCAA Division I, in which the Rams were also scheduled to begin full membership and gain access to NCAA tournaments in 2011. However, it never occurred due to financial difficulties.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/news/story?id=2524352|title=Winston-Salem State jumps to Division I, joins MEAC – College Sports – ESPN |date=19 July 2006 |publisher=ESPN|access-date=2014-01-25}}{{cite web|url=http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2010-03-09/winston-salem-ready-return-d-ii-ciaa|title=Winston-Salem ready to return to D-II, CIAA – NCAA Basketball – Sporting News|publisher=aol.sportingnews.com|access-date=2014-01-25|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202182032/http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2010-03-09/winston-salem-ready-return-d-ii-ciaa|archive-date=2014-02-02}}

= Esports Integration =

Winston-Salem State University integrated esports into its computer science program with a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program. The initiative includes an esports lab, offering hands-on learning and attracting underrepresented minority students to STEM fields while expanding career paths in the esports industry.{{Cite web |last=Newswire |first=HBCU Gameday |date=2024-10-18 |title=HBCU awarded $400,000 grant to infuse esports and CPU science |url=https://hbcugameday.com/2024/10/18/hbcu-recieves-400000-grant-to-infuse-esports-and-cpu-science/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=HBCU Gameday |language=en-US}}

=Student Organizations=

There are over 100 student organizations at WSSU. Including the Student Government Association, fraternities and sororities, Honor societies, and the Red Sea of Sound marching band.{{cite web | url=https://www.wssu.edu/student-life/university-student-activities-and-engagement/student-organizations/index.html | title=Student Organizations - Winston-Salem State University }}

==Notable alumni==

{{multiple image

| perrow =

| total_width = 300

| image1 = Earl Monroe WSSU.jpg

| caption1 = Earl Monroe, 4x NBA All-Star, NBA Champion, Member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, WSSU Class of 1967

| image2 = Stephen A. Smith February 2020.jpg

| caption2 = Stephen A. Smith, television personality, radio host and sports journalist, Co-host of ESPN First Take, WSSU Class of 1991

}}

  • Marshall L. Shepard, Baptist minister and Philadelphia City Councilman.
  • Louise Smith, an educator who established the first kindergarten program in North Carolina.
  • Stephen A. Smith, ESPN personality, co-star of First Take{{Cite web|url=https://www.wssu.edu/about/news/articles/2019/09/ramily,-espn-honor-stephen-a.-smith.html|title=Ramily, ESPN honor Stephen A. Smith|date=September 20, 2019|work=www.wssu.edu|access-date=December 20, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wssurams.com/about/hall_of_fame/Hall_of_Fame_Bios/Stephen_A._Smith_Bio?view=bio|title=Winston Salem State Rams Hall of Fame: Stephen A. Smith|publisher=Winston Salem State Athletics|access-date=December 20, 2019}}
  • Yancey Thigpen, former NFL wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers (1991), the Pittsburgh Steelers (1992–1997), and the Tennessee Oilers/Titans (1998-2000)
  • Dennis L.A. White, stage and screen actor noted for portraying Damion 'D-Roc' Butler in the Notorious B.I.G. biopic entitled Notorious and the re-occurring character "Mistah Ray" on NBC's Parenthood
  • Earl "The Twirl" Williams, American-Israeli basketball player

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{ccat}}

  • {{oweb}}
  • [https://wssurams.com/ Athletics website]

{{Winston-Salem State University}}

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Category:University of North Carolina

Category:Public universities and colleges in North Carolina

Category:Historically black universities and colleges in North Carolina

Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Category:Universities and colleges in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Category:1892 establishments in North Carolina