2024 Inaugural HBCU Studies Emblem Award Recipients 
“Actionable successes symbolic of major HBCU Studies tenets through a remarkable 
ability to implement comprehensive, effectual change at Black Colleges.”
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2024 Inaugural HBCU Studies 
Emblem Award Recipients 
Virginia State University 
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Framed of the campus of Virginia State University in 2020 by the creator of the nation’s first HBCU 
History course (HIST 349 at VSU), HBCU Studies is the world’s first interdisciplinary academic 
discipline dedicated to the systematic, classroom study of Black Colleges via an array of innovative, 
HBCU-focused courses, theories, and methods geared to transform the comprehension of and 
landscape for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  
Gwen Williams Dandridge is Assistant Vice 
President of Communications and a Professor 
of Mass Communications at Virginia State 
University.

In her current position, she is credited 
with rebranding Virginia State University and 
increasing its visibility to an unprecedented level. 
Under her leadership, the university has received 
national and international recognition. Her 
ability to craft and tell the VSU story has led to 
extraordinary media coverage for the work of the 
stellar VSU faculty and staff. 
Gwen began her career at Virginia State University 
in 2008 in the capacity of Special Assistant to 
the President. She was promoted to Director 
of Communications, and then in 2020 to her 
current position of Assistant Vice President of 
Communications. Prior to coming to VSU in 
August of 2008, Gwen enjoyed a 23-year career in 
television and radio news, serving in the capacity of 
weekend weather anchor, morning weather anchor, 
talk show host, producer, news reporter, weekend 
anchor and co-anchor of WRIC-TV8’s weekday 
Good Morning Richmond.

In 2005, Gwen hit the pinnacle of her journalism 
career when she received a Broadcasters Emmy 
Award for the excellence of her work. She is a 
highly sought-after public speaker, trainer, and 
presenter.

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