Bonita J. Brown has been named Chancellor of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU).
“It is a true honor and a privilege to return home to lead this great institution,” said Brown.
“WSSU stands out as a leader in social mobility, which I have personally benefited from through my parents, and I want to provide that same opportunity to others in this region,” she continued. “I look forward to working with the amazing WSSU faculty, staff, students and alumni as we build upon the historical strengths of this university that will launch us into the future. I have been preparing for this moment my entire career and I am overjoyed to serve this great institution.”
Brown was elected by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to be the university’s 14th chancellor, following her nomination by University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans.
Brown assumes the role July 1, succeeding Interim Chancellor Anthony Graham, who was appointed in July 2023, and who previously served as the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Winston-Salem State.
Brown recently served as the interim president at Northern Kentucky University, where she led the campus through a leadership transition and in navigating significant financial challenges and declining enrollments. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Wake Forest University and a juris doctor degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.
“It’s an honor to welcome Bonita Brown back to the Triad and to a campus that played such a huge role in her life,” said Hans. “Her energetic leadership and deep experience with strategy and policy are exactly what WSSU needs for this moment of great challenge and great promise in higher education.”