City of Winston-Salem proclaims Sept. 27 as Winston-Salem State University Day

The City of Winston-Salem has officially proclaimed Friday, September 27, 2024, as “Winston-Salem State University Day.” Mayor Allen Joines presented Winston-Salem State University Chancellor Bonita Brown with the proclamation at the meeting of the City Council on September 16.

“We’re so proud that Winston-Salem State University is a part of the fabric of the city. The school makes our city even more special,” Joines said.

In accepting the WSSU Day Signed Proclamation, Brown noted that “Winston-Salem State is the city’s public university and the only college or university to bear the city’s name.”

Brown also asked that all citizens wear red on Sept. 27 as a show of community support on behalf of Winston-Salem State University. Supporters wearing red can upload their photos on social media using the hashtags: #WSSUDay #WeSeeRed #RamsTakeCharge.

“No matter whether you attended Winston-Salem State University, work for the school, know someone affiliated with the institution or just live in Winston-Salem, you are part of the Ramily,” Brown said.

The proclamation highlights several key data points and unique characteristics about the university, including:

• Winston-Salem State’s $500 million economic impact on the Piedmont Triad region;
• The school’s recognition by multiple national media outlets as the #1 university in North Carolina for economic and social mobility; and
• The more than 30,000 Winston-Salem State University alumni who embody the spirit of the university’s motto, “Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve.”

The proclamation acknowledges Winston-Salem State University as the city’s Regional Public University (RPU) and as a key contributor to the city’s economic, social and cultural landscape. According to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), of the nearly 7 million undergraduate students enrolled at public four-year institutions across the country, 70% attend RPUs. Other RPUs in the state of North Carolina include UNC-Charlotte, UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Greensboro and North Carolina Central University in Durham.

In addition, AASCU notes that RPUs like Winston-Salem State University serve the “new majority” of students, enrolling a disproportionately higher number of students of color, of low-income backgrounds, first generation, Pell Grant recipients, community college transfers, working adults and veterans compared with other public and private institutions.

Winston-Salem State University was originally founded as Slater Industrial Academy on September 28, 1892, by Simon Green Atkins and enrolled 25 students. Throughout the institution’s evolution from Winston-Salem Teachers College to Winston-Salem State College to today’s present status as a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System, Winston-Salem State University has carved out a reputation for producing talented, qualified and proud graduates, particularly in the fields of teaching and nursing.

Winston-Salem State University Day coincides with the university’s annual Day of Giving and Founder’s Day Celebration. WSSU alumni, friends, faculty, staff, students and the general public can show additional support to the school by making a financial gift of any size. This year, Winston-Salem State University aspires to raise $325,000 in support of campus-wide student success initiatives.

To learn more about the 2024 Day of Giving & Founders’ Day Celebration and make a contribution to Winston-Salem State University, please visit https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/RAMSGIVE.