A Decatur native, Kristie Swink Benson is a 2004 graduate of Winston-Salem State University. She is a manager of public relations and media relations at AGL Resources. She lives in Atlanta.
Motto: Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve
Favorite Chant: Oooo Oooo Oooo. So hard to be a RAM-AM-AM. So hard to be a RAM-AM-AM. So hard to be…R-A-M-S. Whoo!
Favorite saying: There's a RAM in the bush!
“Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) is home.”
That’s exactly what I thought the first time I stepped foot on campus in Winston-Salem, N.C.
There was this overwhelming sense of comfort and peace. I felt at home, though I did not know anyone.
I knew nothing about Winston-Salem State University.
Mrs. Parrish, my high school English teacher, told me about Winston-Salem Teachers College, the first black institution in the nation to grant degrees for teaching in primary education. Mrs. Parrish raved about her experiences at the school affectionately known as “TC.”
TC later became Winston-Salem State University, a school that offers many disciplines.
I wasn’t interested.
I zeroed in on the word education and never thought another minute about WSSU since I wanted to study mass communications with a focus in public relations.
Southwest DeKalb High School offered a tour of Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCUs) during spring break of my junior year, which gave students the opportunity to visit HBCUs on the East Coast.
WSSU was the last school on the list, and my money was on a school farther north. I liked all the schools we visited during that trip. I was even resolved to enroll at another university, but my visit to WSSU changed everything.
I knew immediately upon arrival that was where I belonged. I went back home to Decatur and told my parents all about my decision. I only applied to other universities because my parents made me and did not want me to put all of my “eggs in one basket.”
Deciding to attend WSSU in 2000 was one of the best decisions I ever made.
I arrived on campus knowing no one. I left WSSU knowing everyone – people I today consider family and friends. I majored in mass communications with a concentration in public relations.
WSSU had 3,200 students in 2000, but I got opportunities that might have been difficult at a larger university.
I worked at the campus radio station as the on-site producer for all the football and basketball games, which meant traveling to all games in the CIAA conference.
The opportunity allowed me to develop a different skill set and an appreciation for sports. My freshman year, I got involved in the Student Government Association (SGA) as a historian and eventually ran for SGA president – winning my junior and senior years.
WSSU is where I learned “be the change you wish to see in the world.”
My world was WSSU and I felt the students needed an advocate.
Winning SGA president gave me an opportunity to represent the students and university and I received tremendous support and guidance during my tenure.
I served on the Board of Trustees as the voice of the student body and I often spoke on behalf of the university at events.
In addition to my role as SGA president, I also was a part of the concert band as a French horn player, walked the runway in the Mozik Modeling Troup and pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.
There was never a dull moment, and I was exposed to everything WSSU had to offer because I immersed myself in the RAM experience.
The mass communications department prepared me to leave WSSU as a confident, self-assured student and public relations practitioner. I knew I could compete with anyone at a high level, and I was prepared for graduate school and subsequently every opportunity that has come since getting my degree.
WSSU laid the foundation for me to perform on a larger stage. I learned the art of public speaking, event planning (the student homecoming concert was the responsibility of SGA), professional decorum and problem solving.
Today, I am an accredited public relations practitioner in Atlanta. I am so grateful and proud to be doing something I love. I have had great success in my career, and my preparation started at Winston-Salem State University.
I will forever be grateful to RAM Country for all of my experiences.
They shaped the person I am today, and I will forever be a RAM.
Oooo Oooo Oooo. So hard to be a RAM-AM-AM. So hard to be a RAM-AM-AM. So hard to be…R-A-M-S. Whoo!
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