WSSU Graduate Among First to Enter Wake Forest Law School Through Partnership

Ashtyn Jackson will enroll at Wake Forest University School of Law with significant scholarship support.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Ashtyn Jackson, a 2025 graduate of Winston-Salem State University, will enroll in Wake Forest's full-time juris doctor program this fall as one of the first students to benefit from a new partnership between the two institutions. The partnership provides scholarship support of at least $35,000 per academic year for up to three years for selected WSSU students accepted into Wake Forest's law school.

Why it matters

The partnership between WSSU and Wake Forest University School of Law is designed to expand opportunities and remove financial barriers for students interested in pursuing legal careers, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.

The details

Jackson, a Greensboro native, earned a bachelor's degree in justice studies with a concentration in global justice and law and a minor in data science from WSSU. She currently works as a writing consultant in the university's Learning Support Services. The partnership was formalized in October 2024 through a memorandum of understanding that allows up to two WSSU students to be admitted to Wake Forest's law school each admissions cycle.

  • The partnership between WSSU and Wake Forest University School of Law was formalized in October 2024.
  • Ashtyn Jackson will enroll at Wake Forest University School of Law this fall.

The players

Ashtyn Jackson

A 2025 graduate of Winston-Salem State University who will enroll in Wake Forest's full-time juris doctor program.

Winston-Salem State University

A historically Black university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that has partnered with Wake Forest University School of Law to provide scholarship support and a pathway to law school for selected students.

Wake Forest University School of Law

A law school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that has partnered with Winston-Salem State University to provide scholarship support and a pathway to law school for selected WSSU students.

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What they’re saying

“As a proud alumna of Wake Forest University School of Law, it brings me great joy to see one of our own Rams take this same path. This partnership was created to expand opportunity and remove financial barriers for our students.”

— Bonita Brown, Chancellor, Winston-Salem State University (wfmynews2.com)

“School is what kept me going. The grieving process, after feeling numb after losing someone, is so big. My friends that I met here at WSSU kept me grounded.”

— Ashtyn Jackson (wfmynews2.com)

What’s next

Ashtyn Jackson will begin her studies at Wake Forest University School of Law this fall as one of the first students to benefit from the new partnership between the two institutions.

The takeaway

The partnership between WSSU and Wake Forest University School of Law demonstrates a commitment to expanding access to legal education and creating pathways for students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to pursue careers in the legal field.