In 2021, every Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) student will encounter faculty dedicated to excellent teaching and quality research. The classroom experience will be dynamic and engaging. Students will be encouraged to become critical, independent thinkers. Faculty members will be equity-minded as they mentor students through their intellectual journey.
As students move between general education and the major, they will be challenged to strengthen analytic, writing, and problem-solving skills. Academic programs will have a diverse set of course offerings, including seminars and special topic courses. Collaboration and teamwork will drive the academic endeavor, and all students will be required to confront difficult societal issues such as diversity, sustainability and justice in all forms.
The WSSU experience will provide opportunities for students to cultivate global awareness through multiple and overlapping curricular and co-curricular avenues. Every student will experience a significant undergraduate research experience, internship, study away opportunity, or experiential learning engagement. The WSSU experience will exhibit a tapestry of seminars, colloquia, lectures, symposia, and public programs designed to stimulate students and engage faculty in interesting, thought-provoking, and challenging issues.
WSSU is proud of its historic status as the first institution to award degrees in education to African Americans. WSSU will extend this tradition by offering signature teacher preparation programs grounded in our commitment to social justice and designed to meet the challenges of urban education in the 21st century. The University will graduate a new generation of teachers and educational leaders known for their distinctive ability to integrate the arts of pedagogy with the principle of educational equity to meet the diverse learning needs of a global society.
Faculty and professional advisors will mentor students throughout their academic journey. These mentoring relationships will help students design their WSSU experience in a manner that best prepares them intellectually, socially, and personally. Academic support will be widely available and readily accessible.
Campus life at the university will be lively and exciting with classroom experiences extending to the residence halls and across the campus community. Students will encounter living-learning communities guided by creative collaborations between faculty and staff. Student activities programming will be designed to foster leadership development and to hone academic skills. An invigorating campus atmosphere will be present seven days a week, including a dynamic commuter-friendly environment which supports a vibrant campus life.