WSSU HOMECOMING
Robinson promises
growth as he is installed
as WSSU chancellor
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
After months of work
ing with faculty and staff,
Elwood L. Robinson was
officially installed as
Winston-Salem State
University's chancellor
during the annual
Founder's Day
Convocation last week.
Robinson has been
chancellor since January,
when he took over the posi
tion after Donald J. Reaves
retired late last year.
The installation cere
mony was designed to offi
cially introduce Robinson
to the community, alumni,
current students and others.
In his acceptance
address, Robinson prom
ised under his leadership
the university will continue
to evolve and grow.
"Our goal is to give
each and every student a
unique, intensive academic
and social experience," he
continued.
"We have to embrace a
new model of higher edu
cation that ensures that
every student is prepared
for a career, a job and life
in this ever-changing world
that doesn't even exist yet."
He also pointed out that
recently WSSU was named
one of the top universities
in the nation for its contri
bution toward narrowing
the economic gap.
"Winston-Salem State
University ranks seventh in
the nation on the
CollegeNet Social
Mobility Index {SMI]," he
said proudly. "WSSU is the
highest ranked university
in North Carolina."
The SMI evaluates col
leges and universities
based on admission prac
tices that work to reverse
the growing economic dis
parities in the United
States. According to
Robinson, a total of 931
universities were ranked.
The university also
ranks first in the UNC sys
tem in job placement for
graduates and have the
highest salary amongst col
lege graduates in the Triad.
Mayor Allen Joines
said during the ceremony
that he is confident
Robinson will continue to
strengthen the university.
"I am proud to be here
today for this joyous occa
sion," he commented. "I
am confident in Chancellor
Robinson's ability to
uphold and enhance the
legacy of this university."
A number of others
spoke during the ceremony
as well, including U.S.
Rep. Alma Adams who
offered her prayers for
Robinson's continued suc
cess.
"I know you're going to
excel and soar," Adams
said.
Kyle Brown, president
of the WSSU Student
Government Association,
said Robinson has been a
catalyst for his education
and the education of others.
"I am confident that
under Chancellor
Robinson, the university
will continue to reach new
heights," he continued.
"We will continue to pro
duce excellence."
Robinson said although
historically black colleges
and universities (HBCUs)
only educate 9 percent of
all black college students,
WSSU's relevance will not
be rooted in who they edu
cate, but how they educate.
"HBCUs like WSSU
offer our students some
thing they can't find any
where else," Robinson
said.
"The HBCU experi
ence is a culture of caring,
a culture that prepares stu
dents to contribute to their
communities and cultivates
within them the skills they
need for careers regardless
. ! __
of where life takes them.
These experiences tran
scend race."
Phoiot by Tcvin Sfinion
Myra Denise Robinson holds the Bible while her husband, Elwood L. Robinson,
is sworn in as the 13th chancellor of Winston-Salem State University.
I ?i iirrTT?^ 1
Community members and current students, alumni and educators from across the UNC system attended the
installation ceremony for Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson, the 13th chancellor to preside over Winston
Salem State University.
Photos by Tevin S(inson
Students gather around the clock tower on the campus of Winston-Salem State
University for a prayer vigil on Sunday, Nov. 1. The vigil was held in honor of
Anthony White Jr., a victim of a fatal shooting that occurred on campus.
Shooting
frvm page AI
weapons on school
grounds.
The wounded student
was treated and released at
a local hospital. That per
son's name has not been
released to the public.
Although a suspect in
the shooting was appre
hended, the pain of losing a
fellow classmate to sense
less gun violence loomed
over the university.
However, the WSSU fami
ly vowed to stay strong .
Students and professors
took to Twitter to express
their emotions.
"Despite tragedy, the
resolute will always push
forward," said Jack
Monell, professor of justice
studies. "My students pro
vide me strength and opti
mism, we remain Ram
strong."
A number of well
known local political fig
ures sent their condolences
and well wishes to the uni
versity during their time of
grieving.
U.S. Rep. Alma Adams
(Bf.C.-District 12), who
participated in the
Founder's Day
Convocation and annual
Homecoming parade,
called for an end to gun
violence and mindless mur
ders.
"My thoughts and
prayers are with the family
1 i
and friends of Anthony
White Jr. and the entire
Winston-Salem State
University community,"
she continued in a state
ment. "It saddens me that
just one day after the uni
versity celebrated 123
years and the installation of
its new chancellor, we are
faced with such a tragic
loss of life.
"Senseless murders and
gun violence must stop."
From the time the
shooting was reported until
the campus lockdown was
lifted more than three hours
later. Chancellor Elwood
L. Robinson kept students
updated with frequent posts
on Facebook and Twitter.
"I was up all night try
ing to communicate in any
way that I could," he com
mented. "I wanted to let the
students know that we were
doing every single thing in
our power to keep them
safe."
Sen. Paul A. Lowe Jr.
commended the newly
installed chancellor and the
WSSU family for the way
they handled the situation.
"All of us who are a
part of the WSSU family,
we will not allow this
tragedy to mar the great
legacy of the institution,"
Lowe continued.
"Chancellor Robinson and
the university officials are
to be commended on how
they handled this intense
situation." .
During a prayer vigil on
Sunday, Robinson provid
ed students with words of
encouragement.
"Moments like this are
an opportunity to speak to
the heart, to listen to the
heart, to listen to your feel
ings and that will capture
the moment for you," he
continued. "I'm saddened,
I am heartbroken, but we
have to remember that we
have to continue to build
upon where we are at, at
this particular moment.
"We will continue to
support each other. I'm
asking you to come togeth
er, bond together because
that's who we are and that's
what we do."
Throughout the entire
vigil, Alice Bitting, an
alumna and native of the
city, held a burning candle
to honor White.
When asked why she
felt the need to attend the
vigil, Bitting said she want
ed to show current students
that they had alumni sup
port and prayers.
"As an alumni, I felt I
needed to show the current
students we are a family,
and in time of need we will
always be here for them."
A number of students
recall White fondly.
"He was real cool and
laid back," they said. "He
was really serious about his
education and he encour
aged others to take it seri
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