Bonita Brown, Chancellor, Winston-Salem State University

Invest: spoke with Bonita Brown, chancellor of Winston-Salem State University, about the institution’s strategic priorities, student success initiatives, workforce development efforts, and its role in North Carolina’s future. “Our alumni are here, leading, hiring, and contributing at every level of this city’s economy,” Brown said.

What factors are behind WSSU’s continued enrollment growth despite broader challenges in higher education?

Students are choosing institutions that provide both purpose and outcomes. At WSSU, students see a direct connection between education, career opportunity, and economic mobility. And they are hearing from people they trust. Our largest alumni chapter is right here in Charlotte, where graduates are already building careers in this city’s banks, healthcare systems, and firms. When a student hears directly from a thriving WSSU alumnus in Charlotte, that is the most credible enrollment message we can send. We are an HBCU with a 130-year legacy of educating students who go on to lead, serve, and contribute across North Carolina and beyond.

We have been intentional about expanding our academic portfolio in response to where opportunity is moving. We relaunched our College of Business and Entrepreneurship to develop the next generation of founders and business leaders. We launched a motorsport program that reflects the growing industry presence in this region. We established a new Department of Public Health with both a bachelor’s and master’s program. And we joined Project Kitty Hawk to create online pathways for adult learners who want to complete a degree and re-enter the workforce. These additions are not incremental; they are strategic.

Students today are also looking for institutions that invest in them as whole people. We provide wraparound support like financial counseling, emergency assistance, and holistic advising. All of this is because we understand that life does not pause for a class schedule. When students see that level of institutional commitment, they choose us. And increasingly, 76% of our graduates are staying in North Carolina to put that education to work here.

As Charlotte’s economy continues to grow, what workforce needs are employers prioritizing most?

Employers consistently tell us they need graduates who are technically prepared, adaptable, and ready to contribute from day one. At WSSU, that is a profile we have been developing for more than a century, and we continue to refine it in response to what the market demands.

In financial services, Charlotte’s signature industry, demand continues to grow for professionals who combine analytical skills, data literacy, and strong communication. Our College of Business and Entrepreneurship is designed to develop that talent. In healthcare, employers need professionals who understand both clinical care and community health, which is why we launched our new Department of Public Health. In advanced manufacturing, technology, and the region’s growing motorsport sector, demand remains strong for engineers, analysts, and technical professionals who can work across disciplines.

Across every sector, employers are not looking for a single hire. They are looking for pipelines they can count on year after year. Our Charlotte alumni base is proof that WSSU is already that pipeline, and building the institutional relationships to formalize and scale it is a priority for us.

How is WSSU working with employers and community partners to ensure students are graduating with the skills businesses need today?

We approach partnerships as co-investments, not referrals. Employers are not simply destinations for our graduates; they are collaborators in shaping the education our students receive.

In healthcare, our physician assistant pathway with Wake Forest School of Medicine and our work with Novant Health connect students directly to the clinical environments and professional expectations they will encounter in their careers. Through a $4 million HUD grant, our faculty are conducting applied research in housing, community development, and economic equity. This work gives students experience with real-world problems and real consequences. We are also the only HBCU in the nation with a NASA Space Agreement, which positions our students and faculty in federally funded research that competes nationally.

In the classroom, we are incorporating artificial intelligence across disciplines, using virtual reality for healthcare simulation, and creating undergraduate research experiences that prepare students for graduate programs and professional careers alike. Eleven of our math and statistical science students were recently placed in graduate programs at institutions including Brown and Duke, many with full fellowships. That is a testament to what WSSU students are capable of when they are given the right preparation and support.

Our transfer pathway with Forsyth Technical Community College creates a direct, affordable route from community college to a four-year WSSU degree and into the regional workforce. These are the kinds of structural partnerships that serve employers and students simultaneously, and with 76% of our graduates staying in North Carolina, the return on that investment remains here.

What role do you believe HBCUs should play in shaping the state’s economic future and ensuring that growth is broadly shared?

HBCUs have long understood that expanding access and achieving excellence are not competing goals — they are inseparable. Winston-Salem State University was founded on that principle in 1892, and it continues to guide our work today.

As North Carolina grows across technology, financial services, healthcare, and manufacturing, the question is not only how many opportunities are created, but how broadly they are shared. HBCUs have a proven record of connecting talented, motivated students to those opportunities and advancing economic mobility.

Our graduates are making an impact across Charlotte and throughout North Carolina, in banking, healthcare, education, and civic leadership. That impact is most visible right here: our largest alumni chapter is in Charlotte, representing thousands of WSSU graduates who are earning, leading, and investing in this city. WSSU is ranked No. 1 among HBCUs nationally for social mobility and is the only institution in North Carolina to earn the Carnegie Opportunity College designation, recognizing excellence in student access and upward mobility. Our annual economic impact exceeds $650 million, with graduates carrying that impact into communities across the state.

The investment community has recognized these outcomes. MacKenzie Scott’s transformational support of WSSU now totals $80 million, following an initial $30 million gift and a second gift of $50 million in 2025. More than philanthropy, this investment reflects confidence in our mission and results. Institutions that expand opportunity and deliver measurable outcomes earn that confidence, and we remain committed to honoring it through the success of our students and the communities they serve.

Looking at the Charlotte region specifically, what opportunities do you see for stronger collaboration between universities, businesses, and economic development leaders?

The foundation is already built. WSSU’s largest alumni chapter is in Charlotte, with thousands of graduates woven into the fabric of this city’s workforce, civic institutions, and business community. The opportunity now is to formalize and scale what is already organically happening.

Charlotte’s continued growth depends on a reliable talent pipeline, and universities must be active partners in developing it. In financial services, Charlotte’s banks, investment firms, and fintech companies are seeking analytically prepared, diverse talent at scale. Our College of Business and Entrepreneurship is designed to meet that demand. Expanding structured internship and talent pipeline partnerships between WSSU and Charlotte’s financial sector represents a clear opportunity for mutual benefit.

In healthcare, we are already partnering with Novant Health on workforce development and community outreach across the Triad. Charlotte’s rapidly growing healthcare sector is a natural extension of that work, particularly as our new Department of Public Health expands the pipeline of graduates prepared to address evolving workforce needs.

Project Kitty Hawk also creates new opportunities for Charlotte-area adult learners to complete a WSSU degree through flexible online pathways, helping employers upskill and retain talent while expanding access to higher education.

We see tremendous potential for WSSU to serve as a statewide talent partner for Charlotte’s business community. For more than 130 years, we have prepared career-ready graduates who stay in North Carolina, strengthen its workforce, and contribute to its economic growth.

What are your top priorities for WSSU over the next few years, and what gives you the most optimism about the future of higher education and the Charlotte region?

Our priorities are anchored in We Are Rising, our strategic plan: student success, academic and programmatic innovation, operational excellence, and deeper community and economic impact. These are not future aspirations; they are shaping our decisions today, from program development and research investment to the partnerships we are building across North Carolina. What gives me the most optimism is that the relationship between WSSU and Charlotte is already strong and growing. Our alumni are here, leading, hiring, and contributing at every level of this city’s economy. MacKenzie Scott’s support, a $30 million initial gift followed by $50 million more in recognition of our demonstrated outcomes, reflects the same confidence we see every time a WSSU graduate thrives in Charlotte’s workforce. As Charlotte continues to grow, WSSU is committed to ensuring that growth is powered by talent, strengthened by partnership, and shared across the communities we serve. Our alumni in this city are already proof of that growth.