WINSTON-SALEM, NC – Winston-Salem State University announces Wednesday (May 29th) the appointment of Bonita J. Brown as the 14th Chancellor of the University. She was elected by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, following her nomination by University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans.

Brown’s appointment comes following a national search that included nearly 50 candidates and three finalists endorsed by the WSSU Board of Trustees.

Brown will assume her role on July 1, 2024. She will succeed 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 University and former Chancellor Elwood Robinson, who retired last year.

“It is a true honor and a privilege to return home to lead this great institution. WSSU stands out as leader in social mobility, which I have personally benefited from through my parents, and I want to provide that same opportunity to other in this region. 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,” said WSSU Chancellor-Elect Bonita Brown.

“Help me welcome Chancellor-Elect Bonita J. Brown back to WSSU, someone who is no stranger to the campus and HBCUs. With such an extensive background and expertise, there is no doubt that Chancellor-Elect Brown will lead WSSU with dominancy. Chancellor-Elect Brown marks a sea change for the institution’s future and growth, succeeding Chancellor Elwood Robinson. We look forward to pledging our support of Chancellor-Elect Brown and sending best wishes for much success ahead,” said HCF Founder, President and CEO Demetrius Johnson Jr.

Brown recently served as the Interim President at Northern Kentucky. During her tenure, she led the campus through a leadership transition and in navigating significant financial challenges and declining enrollments.

Prior to being Interim President, she served as the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Northern Kentucky University where she lead the campus in implementing Success by Design, the university’s strategic plan solely focused on student success. From this work, retention and persistence rates increased by over five percent.

She previously worked as the Vice President of Network Engagement at Achieving the Dream, a national non-profit leader that champions evidence-based institutional improvement in community colleges across the country. In this role, Brown was responsible for supporting a network of over 220 community colleges in 41 states as they work to implement sustainable, campus wide student success efforts.

Over the course of her career, Brown has also served as the Chief of Staff at the University of North Texas, General Counsel at the University of North Carolina School of Arts and Assistant to the president and attorney at two private HBCUs in North Carolina – Johnson C. Smith University and Livingstone College. Also, she served as assistant university attorney at WSSU from 2004 to 2006.

She was most recently chosen as one of the eleven national Designers in Residence to reimagine the role of Higher Education in closing racial and economic opportunity gaps by the Education Design Lab.

Brown received her BA in history from Wake Forest University and her JD from Wake Forest University School of Law. She has participated in the HERS Leadership program, the AASCU Millennium Leadership Initiative and is a graduate of the Harvard Institute of Educational Management.

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