WSSU Reaches A Major Milestone

In 2023, the Winston Salem State University (WSSU) School of Nursing celebrated 70 years of service. Thirty three African American women made history on September 15, 1953, when they became the inaugural class of nursing students at Winston Salem State Teachers College (now WSSU). They were greeted by recently-hired Beverly W. Knight, professor of nursing studies. Knight was a graduate of Spellman College, Lincoln Hospital School of Nursing in New York City, and had earned a Master’s Degree from Columbia University. Together, this group of dedicated, determined, and professional women built a foundation for the outstanding College of Nursing at WSSU today.