Business

  • Angela Avant

    Angela Avant served as Assistant Treasurer of the Girl Scouts National Capital Region Council and Treasurer of Mentors, Inc. She was a Partner in charge of diversity at KPMG LLP and led the KPMG's national human resources diversity team. Angela joined KPMG in 1999 and was named an Advisory Partner in 2004, responsible for business development and advisory services in KPMG's Mid-Atlantic area's state and local, non-profit, and higher education sectors. Prior to KPMG, Anglea was the Inspector General of the District of Columbia. As a certified public accountant, she is a lifetime member and three-term Past National President of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA).

  • Samuel Chisholm

    Known for his relentless drive and demanding expectations, Sam Chislom, VSU Class of 1965, is the former President and CEO of the Chisholm-Mingo Group (formerly The Mingo Group), one the largest advertising and public relations firm owned and operated by African Americans.  At one point the Mingo Group was ranked No. 5 on the BE ADVERTISING AGENCIES list with $100 million in billings. Its major clients included Anheuser-Busch, the U.S. Census, Royal Caribbean International, Amtrak, and Texaco.

  • Earnest J. Edwards


    Earnest J. Edwards, VSU Class of 1961, retired after 34 years of service with Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) as senior vice president and controller. ALCOA is the world's third largerst producer of aluminum. He also served on the Board of Trustees of LaRoche College and as a director of the Alcoa Foundation.

  • Reginald F. Lewis



    Reginald Lewis, VSU Class of 1965, was the richest African-American man in the 1980s. He won a football scholarship to VSU, graduating with a degree in economics. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1968 and was the first African American to build a billion dollar company, Beatrice Foods. The Reginald F. Lewis College of Business at VSU is named in his honor. In addition, if you are ever in the Baltimore, MD area, the Reginald F. Lewis Musuem of Maryland African-American History and Culture is a must see.

  • Bernadine C. Gines

    Bernadine Gines, VSU Class of 1946, was the first African-American woman to become a Certified Public Accountant in New York. She graduated when New York became the first state to require four years of higher learning to take the CPA exam. Despite exceeding the qualifications, she struggled to find a position at a CPA firm due to adversity. Being among the first in her class to graduate from VSU and earn a MBA from NYU was not enough for Gines’ applications to be accepted. When she learned of a Black-owned CPA firm in Manhattan, her reality was intensified when she discovered they only hired men. But the rejections that blatantly stemmed from racism and sexism did not discourage her. After two years of rejection, Gines was accepted into a predominantly Jewish CPA firm. Her experiences during and before working at the firm prepared Gines to have a long and successful career with the City of New York Office of the Comptroller.

  • Vernard W. Henley


    Vernard Henley, VSU Class of 1951, former CEO and Chairman of the Board of Consolidated Bank & Trust Co. in Richmond, once the oldest independent black-owned bank in America. During his 30-year tenure as president, he ambitiously oversaw the growth of the community bank from one branch in Richmond to seven branches in Richmond, Newport News and Hampton. The Korean War veteran also led the growth of deposits from million to 5 million. He won the respect of his peers and was the first African-American to serve as president of the Virginia Bankers Association.

  • Juanita R. Mitchell

    Juanita R. Mitchell, VSU Class of 1969, was the Vice President of Human Resources for Volvo Cars of North America, LLC and a member of the Executive Management Group for Volvo Cars of NA. She also served as diversity executive for Ford Motor Company’s Premier Automotive Group (PAG) for European Brands, comprised of Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo Cars. In honor of her parents, she launched the Lousie and Ferdinand Ragland Scholarship Fund at VSU to provide financial assistance to underprivileged students.

  • Huron F. Winstead

    An accomplished executive with 22 years of experience in the consulting engineering industry, Huron Winstead is the President of Winstead Management Group, LLC, headquartered in Richmond, VA, which provides construction management services operating in the US public and private infrastructure sectors. He has also served as the Vice President and Area Managing Principal for MWH Americas Inc., a global consulting engineering company where he was responsible for market development and operations in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Huron has also served as Director of Government Relations for MWH in Los Angeles, California. In 2013, Huron was appointed to the VSU Board of Visitors by Virginia Govenor Bob McDonnell.

  • Rodney Ferguson

    Rodney Ferguson headshot

    Rodney Ferguson, VSU Class of 1982, was named the Chief Executive Officer and general manager of the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in 2017.   Prior to that he served as the Milwaukee properity's chief operating officer.   From 2013 to 2015, Ferguson served as Potawatomo Hotel & Casino's chief financial officer, and helped lead the planning and opening of the property's 381-room hotel.  

     

     

     

VSU Women's LeadHERship Institute Announces National Conference For Women Leaders at HBCUs

VSU recently announced that its Women's LeadHERship Institute has curated a two-day national summit on Monday, June 24 and Tuesday, June 25 to refresh, applaud, and unite women leaders at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The conference's theme, "Women Leaders @ HBCUs Conference 2024 – Straightening Our Crowns to Cultivate Transformative Leaders: Unsung Heroines of HBCUs," will illuminate the transformative leadership and indomitable spirit of women trailblazers within HBCUs. Through collaboration, celebration, and candid dialogue, the goal is to inspire leaders of today and tomorrow to straighten their crowns and elevate the legacy of excellence and resilience inherent in the HBCU community.

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VSU Makes History As The First HBCU In The Country Selected To Host A General Election Presidential Debate

VSU has been chosen by the Commission on Presidential Debates to host a 2024 Presidential Debate.   

Virginia State University is proud to announce that it has been chosen by the Commission on Presidential Debates to host a 2024 Presidential Debate. This is a momentous occasion for VSU, as it is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) ever selected to host a General Election U.S. Presidential Debate. The debate, scheduled for October 1, 2024, is the second of three scheduled general election presidential debates.   

“We are honored and grateful to have been chosen as a host for a 2024 Presidential Debate,” said VSU President Dr. Makola M. Abdullah. “This is a historic moment for our university and for HBCUs nationwide. Our university mantra is “Greater Happens Here,” and we look forward to welcoming the candidates, the Commission on Presidential Debates, and the entire nation to the GREATER at VSU.” 

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VSU Alum, General (Ret) Dennis L. Via Appointed To The VSU Board of Visitors

Virginia State University Alum and retired Army General Dennis L. Via has been appointed to the VSU Board of Visitors. Governor Glenn Youngkin made the announcement on Friday, November 10.  Via is a native of Martinsville, VA. He attended Virginia State University in Petersburg, VA, where he graduated in May 1980 as a Distinguished Military Graduate and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps.

He retired from the U.S. Army as a 4-Star General and is currently an executive vice president with Booz Allen Hamilton in McLean, Virginia. In this role, he leads firmwide corporate engagement in the Office of the CEO.

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Alumni Weekend 2024

VSU Alumni Weekend 2024 is scheduled for May 9 through 11, 2024 on the campus of VSU.  The VSU classes ending in 4 and 9 will be in reunion.  The Golden Class of 1974 will be celebrating their 50th year as a VSU graduate. 

Register Now

Become A VSU Class Coordinator

The VSU Class Coordinator Program comprises a loyal group of alumni representing their individual class years. Class Coordinators are considered University ambassadors who help build a strong connection between classmates and the University.
Class Coordinators are some of the most valuable volunteers for the University. Job requirements are simple: a minimal time commitment and the interest to keep in touch with VSU classmates and friends. Being a class coordinator is a great way to remain involved after graduation, and you can be as active as your schedule allows.
Class Coordinators work with the VSU Alumni Office to:
  • Communicate regularly with classmates via letters, calls, emails, or social networking Websites.
  • Keep classmates up-to-date on VSU events and news.
  • Encourage and increase participation in alumni activities such as regional events and reunions.
  • Brainstorm additional ways to keep your class connected.
  • Serve as a reunion planning committee member in your special reunion years.
  • Promote class giving and participation 
  • Provide the University of Institutional Advancement with updated contact information for classmates
If you want to become a class coordinator, please get in touch with the VSU Alumni Relations Office at (804) 524- 5045 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
(If you don't see your class year represented, please consider becoming a coordinator)



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