Associate Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Anywhere

Share:

Job description

Executive Summary

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), a nationally recognized Historically Black University and a member of the University of North Carolina System, is seeking an exceptional leader to serve as its next Associate Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. As a senior member of the university’s leadership team, this individual will play a central role in advancing WSSU’s student-centered mission and will help shape the Division of Student Affairs in alignment with the university’s strategic priorities.

The Associate Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs will work in close collaboration with the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Chancellor Bonita J. Brown, guiding student life strategy and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, holistic support services to WSSU’s nearly 5,000 students. The role oversees key areas including residential life, student engagement, wellness, counseling, conduct, and career development, all grounded in a commitment to retention, persistence, and graduation.

Applications and nominations are being accepted immediately.

The ideal candidate will possess a terminal degree, significant experience in student affairs administration, and a demonstrated commitment to the success and well-being of students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This role presents a rare opportunity to shape student life at one of the nation’s most highly ranked HBCUs-an institution recognized for its transformative impact on social and economic mobility.

The Opportunity

The Associate Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs plays a pivotal role in shaping a comprehensive, student-centered campus experience that advances WSSU’s motto: Enter to Learn. Depart to Serve. This senior administrator provides leadership and strategic direction for all dimensions of student life and works collaboratively with the Provost and Chancellor to ensure institutional accountability for student success metrics established by the UNC System.

The Associate Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs will lead a robust division encompassing residential life, health and wellness, student engagement and activities, counseling services, student conduct, multicultural affairs, and career development. This leader will serve as the primary advocate for student needs across the institution and as a key liaison to external constituencies on matters of student affairs.

In support of WSSU’s deepening commitment to student success, the university recently launched a new Division of Student Success focused on retention, persistence, and graduation rates. The Associate Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs will collaborate closely with the inaugural Vice Provost for Student Success to create an integrated, high-impact student experience both inside and outside the classroom.

WSSU is an institution on the rise. Under the leadership of Chancellor Bonita J. Brown, the university celebrated its highest enrollment growth in years-nearly 5,000 students in Fall 2025, a 4.7% increase over the prior year. The Associate Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs will be instrumental in sustaining and building upon that momentum, creating a vibrant and supportive campus environment where students are empowered to thrive.

Responsibilities and Duties

The responsibilities of this position span a broad portfolio of student-facing functions and administrative oversight. The outcomes of these essential functions contribute to the university’s primary areas of emphasis:

  • Providing visionary leadership for the Division of Student Affairs, ensuring alignment with WSSU’s strategic plan and UNC System expectations
  • Overseeing the delivery of student support services including residential life, counseling, health and wellness, student activities and engagement, multicultural affairs, student conduct, and career development
  • Serving as a key advocate for student welfare and a principal adviser to the Chancellor and Provost on all matters pertaining to student life
  • Collaborating with the Division of Academic Affairs and Division of Student Success to foster a unified, integrated approach to student retention and graduation
  • Developing and managing the student affairs budget, ensuring responsible fiscal stewardship and maximizing resources in support of student programs and services
  • Promoting a campus culture that celebrates diversity, inclusion, and belonging, consistent with WSSU’s identity as an HBCU and its commitment to the whole student
  • Building and sustaining partnerships with faculty, staff, alumni, and community organizations to enrich the student experience
  • Establishing a campus-wide culture of accountability for student outcomes, including retention, persistence, and on-time graduation
  • Supporting co-curricular programming, student leadership development, and a vibrant student organization ecosystem
  • Representing the university in national and regional student affairs professional associations and conferences
  • Overseeing assessment and continuous improvement of student affairs programs and services
  • Ensuring compliance with all applicable federal, state, UNC System, and institutional policies governing student affairs

Qualifications & Requirements

  • An earned doctorate from a regionally accredited institution in higher education administration, student affairs, counseling, or a closely related field
  • A minimum of seven to ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in student affairs, including significant administrative experience at the dean of students, associate vice president, or equivalent level
  • Demonstrated commitment to HBCU mission, culture, and the holistic development of students from historically underrepresented communities
  • Proven record of success in enhancing student retention, campus engagement, and graduation rates
  • Experience managing multiple functional areas within a student affairs division, including residential life, wellness, student conduct, and co-curricular programming
  • Knowledge of and experience with relevant accreditation processes, regulatory compliance, and UNC System policies preferred
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with academic affairs and other institutional divisions in support of student success
  • Strong experience with budget development and fiscal management
  • Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills with the ability to engage diverse constituencies including students, faculty, staff, families, and board members
  • A demonstrated commitment to data-informed decision-making and ongoing program assessment
  • Capacity to manage multiple priorities simultaneously with attention to detail, deadlines, and institutional relationships

About Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) was founded on September 28, 1892, by educator Simon Green Atkins as the Slater Industrial Academy in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. From its beginnings in a one-room frame structure with 25 students and a single instructor, WSSU has grown into a nationally recognized public HBCU that is transforming lives and communities across North Carolina and beyond.

A member of the University of North Carolina System since 1972, WSSU occupies a 117-acre campus in the heart of Winston-Salem, in the center of the Piedmont Triad. The university offers 39 baccalaureate degrees, 7 master’s degrees, 2 professional doctorate degrees, and 6 post-baccalaureate certifications, maintaining a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1 that ensures students receive personal attention and direct engagement from their faculty.

WSSU enrolled 4,962 students in fall 2025-the highest enrollment growth in years at 4.7%-with 83% of its undergraduate student body identifying as African American. The university’s alumni have deep roots in North Carolina; more than 70% of WSSU graduates continue to live and work in the state, collectively contributing to every sector of civic, professional, and community life.

WSSU is nationally recognized for delivering exceptional value and driving social and economic mobility. Recent honors include: #1 HBCU in North Carolina (U.S. News & World Report, 2025); #1 university in North Carolina for social mobility (U.S. News & World Report); #1 HBCU in the nation for social mobility (CollegeNET); #1 HBCU nursing program in the U.S.; and recognition by Money Magazine as one of America’s Best Colleges (2025). The university’s economic impact on the Winston-Salem region tops $500 million annually.

WSSU is home to a vibrant and distinctive academic community organized across the College of Arts, Sciences, Businesses, and Education, along with the Division of Nursing and the Division of Graduate Studies. The university is recognized as a national leader in nursing education and as a Carnegie-classified “Opportunity College,” a designation that reflects its extraordinary record of opening doors for first-generation students and those from low-income backgrounds.

WSSU’s campus life is defined by more than 100 student organizations, the celebrated Red Sea of Sound marching band, competitive CIAA athletics, and a deep tradition of community service. MacKenzie Scott’s two historic gifts to WSSU-$30 million in 2020 and an additional $50 million in 2025, the single largest donation in WSSU’s history-reflect the university’s growing national profile and its unmatched record of impact.

WSSU’s motto, Enter to Learn. Depart to Serve., captures the institution’s enduring commitment to graduating students who are prepared not just for careers but for citizenship and leadership. Notable alumni include NBA Hall of Famer Earl Monroe and ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith, alongside trailblazers in medicine, law, education, government, and the arts.

Winston-Salem State University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees based on race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or marital or veteran status.

Student Affairs Portfolio

The Division of Student Affairs at Winston-Salem State University encompasses a comprehensive range of programs and services designed to support the academic success, personal growth, and holistic development of every Ram. The Associate Provost and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs provides executive oversight of the following functional areas:

  • Residential Life and Housing – On-campus residential communities that serve as hubs of student engagement, leadership development, and academic support
  • Student Health and Wellness – Including the A.H. Ray Wellness Center, which holds national accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC)
  • Counseling Services – Confidential mental health support, crisis intervention, and prevention programming for the campus community
  • Student Activities and Engagement – Co-curricular programming, campus events, student government, and the university’s more than 100 student organizations including Greek-letter organizations, honor societies, and the Red Sea of Sound
  • Multicultural Affairs – Programs and initiatives that affirm WSSU’s HBCU identity, celebrate cultural heritage, and foster belonging for all students
  • Student Conduct – Administration of WSSU’s community standards, including adjudication of conduct matters in a fair, restorative, and educational framework
  • Career Development – Comprehensive career readiness services, employer partnerships, internship and experiential learning coordination, and post-graduation placement support
  • New Student Orientation and Transition Programs – Programming that ensures a successful transition for incoming students and builds early connection to the Ramily

The Division of Student Affairs collaborates closely with the newly established Division of Student Success, led by the inaugural Vice Provost for Student Success, to create seamless support systems for WSSU’s students from enrollment through graduation.

About the Chancellor

Bonita J. Brown, J.D. is the 14th Chancellor of Winston-Salem State University and the first permanent female chancellor in the institution’s 133-year history. She was elected by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, following her nomination by UNC System President Peter Hans, and assumed the role on July 1, 2024. She was formally installed on September 19, 2025.

A Winston-Salem native born to WSSU alumni parents, Chancellor Brown’s appointment represents a genuine homecoming. She has dedicated her career to expanding student access to higher education and driving equity-centered institutional transformation. Her appointment was the culmination of a national search that drew nearly 50 candidates.

Chancellor Brown most recently served as Interim President of Northern Kentucky University, where she led the campus through a critical leadership transition and navigated significant budget challenges. Prior to that role, she served as Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at NKU, leading the implementation of the university’s student success strategic plan and achieving a five-percent increase in retention and persistence rates.

Her distinguished career in higher education has included senior leadership roles at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff), University of North Carolina School of the Arts (General Counsel), University of North Texas (Chief of Staff), Achieving the Dream (Vice President of Network Engagement), and two private North Carolina HBCUs-Livingstone College and Johnson C. Smith University.

Chancellor Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Juris Doctor, both from Wake Forest University. She was selected as one of eleven national Designers in Residence by the Education Design Lab to reimagine the role of higher education in closing racial and economic opportunity gaps. Under her leadership, WSSU has seen record enrollment growth, deepened community partnerships, and received transformational philanthropic investment.

How to apply

Application and Nomination Process

PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDACY

To assure full consideration, application materials should be submitted as soon as possible and must include PDF copies of the following:

  • Letter of Interest
  • A Comprehensive CV/Resume
  • Full contact information (name, phone number, and email) for three professional references

Please send all application materials to the email address under the Apply Now button.

For Confidential Inquiries contact:

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Winston-Salem, the fifth-most populous city in North Carolina, is situated at the heart of the Piedmont Triad-a thriving metropolitan region of approximately 1.7 million residents that includes the neighboring cities of Greensboro and High Point. The metro area is conveniently located halfway between Washington, D.C., and Atlanta, and sits at the intersection of Interstates 40 and 85, two of the nation’s most heavily traveled transportation corridors.

Known as the “City of Arts & Innovation,” Winston-Salem has reinvented itself from its industrial roots into a dynamic hub for healthcare, biotechnology, higher education, and the arts. The Wake Forest Innovation Quarter, a 200-acre master-planned urban research district, positions Winston-Salem as a national leader in life sciences and information technology. The city is home to multiple universities-including Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts-giving the region a distinctly academic and intellectual character.

Winston-Salem boasts a cost of living that is approximately 12% below the national average, making it an appealing destination for professionals and families alike. The city has been recognized nationally for its livability, affordability, and quality of life by Bloomberg Businessweek, Money Magazine, and the Partners for Livable Communities. The region’s major employers include Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Novant Health, Wake Forest University, Hanesbrands Inc., and Truist Financial.

Residents enjoy a rich cultural life anchored by the nationally recognized National Black Theatre Festival, the RiverRun International Film Festival, the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, and a thriving restaurant, music, and gallery scene along Trade Street and throughout the city. Outdoor enthusiasts have access to Salem Lake, Pilot Mountain State Park, and Hanging Rock State Park. The North Carolina coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains are each roughly two hours away, and Charlotte’s Douglas International Airport is 90 miles southwest.

The Winston-Salem metropolitan area is served by Piedmont Triad International Airport, located approximately 15 miles east of campus. The city’s combination of professional opportunity, cultural vibrancy, affordability, and natural beauty makes it one of the Southeast’s most attractive places to build a career and raise a family.

About TM² Executive Search

TM² Executive Search specializes in providing exemplary executive talent acquisition consultation for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and other organizations seeking to attract highly qualified, motivated, and accomplished leaders at all levels of administration. TM² Executive Search is the nation’s only executive search and leadership solutions firm exclusively dedicated to the Black College Community and to developing the future of HBCU leadership.

We leverage our combined expertise in higher education and executive search to partner with institutions in building highly effective leadership teams-increasing the quality of talent acquisition, advancing person-organization fit, and developing strategic leaders who are prepared to steward their institutions into the future. TM² Executive Search serves as the Official Educational Talent Search subsidiary of Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

For more information about TM² Executive Search, visit tm2search.com

TM² EXECUTIVE SEARCH
THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND
tm2search.com | 240-798-8912

TM² Executive Search specializes in providing exemplary executive talent acquisition consultation for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), and other organizations seeking to attract highly qualified, motivated, accomplished diverse leaders at all levels of administration.