WSSU launches Business Advisory Council to benefit students in new College of Business program
Winston-Salem State University has formed a new College of Business & Entrepreneurship Advisory Council made up of business leaders that will guide, mentor and advocate for students in this career pathway.
The inaugural meeting was held Feb. 10 in the university’s Donald J. Reeves Student Activities Center, bringing together a distinguished group of business leaders from local, national and international markets including alumni and professionals from Los Angeles to New York.
Members of the CBE Advisory Council will help shape curriculum, enhance experiential learning and strengthen career pathways, ensuring programs remain innovative and aligned with real-world business needs. Council members will advocate for workforce development and support programs that prepare graduates to compete and lead in today’s economy.
Students will benefit directly from expanded networking opportunities and increased access to mentors and professional leaders.
“The advisory council is a critical resource for the CBE and our students, acting as a conduit of information from the business world to the CBE, enabling us to provide a relevant, world-class education,” said Dr. Kenny Holt, founding dean of the CBE.
The council will include approximately 25 members serving staggered terms, who will meet three times annually with both in-person and virtual participation options.
WSSU’s CBE was relaunched last summer and includes undergraduate programs in accounting, economics, finance and business administration, and the MBA graduate program. The launch of the Advisory Council underscores WSSU’s commitment to delivering a relevant, high-impact business education that prepares graduates to lead in today’s economy.
“I am overwhelmed at the willingness of our alumni and stakeholders to serve on the Advisory Council. They are strongly committed to supporting the College of Business and our students,” Holt said. “The information we receive from the Advisory Council members is vital to creating a fresh, relevant curriculum that prepares our students for success in the business world and transforms the lives of families through WSSU.”
Advisory Council membersThe following are members of the inaugural Advisory Council:
- Latisha Alford, business systems consultant
- Adebowale Asaya, senior product lead, Amazon
- Jeremy Bjork, VP & GM International Americas Group, Gildan
- Lynetta Blakney, president, Winston-Salem Black Chamber of Commerce
- Randell Cain, founder/CEO/CIO, Kerusso Capital Management
- Marcus Cox, market leader, Whataburger
- Carol Davis, executive director, S.G. Atkins CDC
- Traron “Tray” Edwards, deal analyst, A16z Venture Capital
- Jeremiah Erby, senior strategic partnership leader, Google
- Drew Hancock, co-founder, The Intersection
- Kelvis Johnson, senior commercial lender & SVP, M&F Bank
- Lauryn Ledyard, product manager, JP Morgan
- John McPherson, broker, MKT Real Estate Group, NC Realtors Association President
- Candrice Oliver, therapeutic sales specialist, BridgeBio
- Devon Person, VP of Supply Chain Operations, Foot Locker
- Kyle Reese, account executive, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Microsoft Corporation
- Elijah Strickland, senior vice president, Pinnacle Partners
- Marlon Thomas, senior business development manager, The Clearing House
- Brian Anthony Thompson, CEO, BT Creative LLC
- Robin Walls, principal IT project manager, Volvo Group
- Kelvin Walton, founder & CEO, F. Holland Associates
- Byron Washington, consultant, Inter-government Organization
- Desmond Wiggan, founder & CEO, BatteryXchange
- Christopher Wilson, CEO, Wilson Enterprises, Inc.
