WINSTON-SALEM – To hear what a difference education can make in one person’s life, just ask Dr. Stephanie Dance-Barnes.
In the accompanying video, Dance-Barnes, the interim associate provost and an associate professor of biology at Winston-Salem State University, talks about how she left a small nearby community in Northeastern North Carolina to attend Elizabeth City State University.
“It is one of the reasons why I’m actually teaching at Winston-Salem State. Because the same values that I took away from Elizabeth City – that small, family, nurturing environment, even though it’s a bigger institution – are here,” she says.
After graduating from ECSU, Dance-Barnes went on to get her master’s degree from N.C. A&T State University, then her PhD from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She is the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate from the medical school in cancer biology and toxicology.
She later became associate professor of cell and molecular biology and co-chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Winston-Salem State.1
Yet despite all those credentials, she doesn’t boast – rather, she overflows with gratitude.
“I’m from Weeksville, North Carolina – a small subset of Elizabeth City,” she says.
“So to think that those small interactions with faculty members that I had so many years ago helped me feel confident enough to step outside of that small area and … think that I could have the audacity to be a professor – and then now, a few years later, I’m interim associate provost at Winston-Salem State….
“It’s amazing,” she says, her voice cracking slightly. “And so my goal is to pay it forward.”
Sandra says
Congratulations on all your blessings and education. Now soar my ladyship. So proud to be from that small town of Weeksville.
Alishia Harris-Moore says
Awesome!! Congratulations on all of your accomplishments?
Cynthia says
Dr. Dance-Barnes is truly and humble and powerful leader!
Sherri says
An Awesome instructor and leader! You go Dr. Dance-Barnes!!!
Calvin Worsley says
WAY TO GO!!!!!! You have made us proud to be graduates of ECSU.
Calvin
Leonard Jarvis says
Congratulations is inadequate to commend a fellow Viking on her achievement. It just shows you what one can do when they apply themselves and know their path in this strange and sometimes evil world. Ms. Barnes has certainty overcome the visible as well as the invisible barriers. We are glad she is a Viking.