Case Study: Winston‑Salem State University achieves equitable digital literacy and social‑justice storytelling with Adobe Creative Cloud

Winston-Salem State University combines social justice with digital literacy and creativity to help students excel - and make a difference

Winston‑Salem State University (WSSU), a respected HBCU focused on social justice and upward mobility, faced the challenge of preparing students for a rapidly changing, digital workforce while closing equity gaps in access to technology and real‑world experiences. Leaders sought to ensure students not only earned degrees but graduated with portfolios, digital skills, and opportunities to engage in high‑impact social justice work.

WSSU partnered with Adobe to provide Creative Cloud campus‑wide, train faculty and students, appoint an Adobe Student Ambassador, and integrate multimedia tools into coursework and community projects. The result: hands‑on learning across disciplines, stronger digital literacy and portfolios for job readiness, amplified social‑justice storytelling (notably projects like the Ronnie Long campaign), and streamlined campus operations through tools like Adobe Acrobat DC.

Winston-Salem State University

Jack Monell

Associate Professor of Justice Studies and Program Coordinator