Winston-Salem State Chancellor to step down, interim leader announced

Winston-Salem State University Chancellor Elwood Robinson announced his retirement Monday.

Robinson, who has led the school for eight years, will step down at the end of the current semester. UNC System President Peter Hans appointed Anthony Graham, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Winston-Salem State, as interim chancellor effective July 1.

“Chancellor Robinson has provided steady leadership for Winston-Salem State,” Hans said in a statement Monday. “Including noteworthy achievements such as a new center for entrepreneurship, a record $30 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, and strong rankings in economic and social mobility for the university’s graduates.”

“I know all Rams join me in thanking him for his dedicated service to the campus and the state,” Hans said.

Hans also praised Graham, saying he has the skills and commitment to lead the university through a smooth transition.

Graham, a Kinston native, earned a bachelor’s degree in English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and master’s degree in education and doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Graham has served as chief academic officer at Winston-Salem State since 2018. Before that, he served as dean of the College of Education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where he was a professor of educator preparation and chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Winston-Salem State is one of the UNC system’s historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). This leadership change comes at a time when HBCUs nationwide – including those in North Carolina – are seeing revitalized interests and increased enrollment, even in the face of falling student numbers at other campuses in the system.