Elwood L. Robinson, a Sampson County native and Chancellor of Winston-Salem State University, is being honored for his work in higher education.
He was recently selected to be inducted for the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation’s (NBCAHOF) 2019 Class. The event is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 27 at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta. Robinson is one of 14 graduates joinin the class.
Each year, the NBCAHOF recognizes graduates of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) who have made significant contributions in their respective fields. Some of the other members include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Oprah Winfrey, and Justice Thurgood Marshall. Robinson, a graduate of two HBCUs, will be inducted in the category of Education.
A graduate of two HBCUs — North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and Fisk University — the Sampson County native has spent nearly his entire career in service of HBCUs. He joined the faculty at North Carolina Central University in 1984.
In 1993, he was named director of the Minority Access to Research Careers Program, which provides research-training opportunities for students and faculty from minority groups underrepresented in the biomedical sciences. From 1993 to 1996, Robinson also served as chair of NCCU’s Psychology Department. In 2006, he was named founding dean of the NCCU College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.
After a three-year stint at Cambridge College in Boston, Robinson was named the 13th chancellor of Winston-Salem State University, a position he has held since Jan. 1, 2015.
Robinson’s impact on WSSU has been significant. In 2016, the university rolled out a five-year strategic plan that focuses on strengthening liberal education, enhancing academic excellence, and building a commitment to social justice through community engagement. Under his leadership, the university has made great strides in integrating what students learn in the classroom into every element of campus life.