WS Chronicle

Above: Winston-Salem State University Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson speaks with Jelisa Preston, left, and La Shunda Booker at WSSU’s Career, Internship and Graduate School Expo on Thursday, Oct. 22. (Photo by Donna Rogers)

A saying in the business world is, if you walk into a room and can’t tell who is in charge, then you havea true leader. The leader is leading by example.
That happened at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) last week.

WSSU’s office of Career Development Services held a Career, Internship and Graduate School Expo on Thursday, Oct. 22. Hundreds of WSSU students and alumni representing all majors were there.

Scores of recruiters representing scores of companies were there, too.

Someone else was there, also, someone unexpected. WSSU Chancellor Elwood L. Robinson was there. But if you didn’t know who he was, you wouldn’t know he is the person in charge.

Robinson wore a professional suit and tie. He walked around the room at the Donald J. Reaves Student Center as though he was looking for tables to approach, seeking job opportunities. He stopped and talked with students doing just that. He engaged with some recruiters and other adults in the room. He set an example for those he leads.

An informal survey of recruiters at the Expo showed that WSSU impressed many of them.

One recruiter said he had been to two job fairs earlier in the week but was impressed with the WSSU Expo because it ran smoothly, the students asked questions and the kinds of businesses recruiting varied.

Several recruiters said they were looking for leaders. They didn’t talk about majors. One company executive at the Expo said she had an engineering degree. Yet, she was recruiting for Sam’s Club. She was looking for leaders.

WSSU has produced leaders in many ways. Take for instance the three recruiters for Duke Energy. They are all alumni of WSSU.

And on Friday, Oct. 30, Robinson will officially become the leader of WSSU when he is installed in a ceremony. He came to the university in January.

Robinson doesn’t need a ceremony to label him a leader. He is already proving that he is one.