Winston-Salem State University dedicated its $13 million Computer Science Center September 16, 2005 and named the facility in honor of Dr. Elva Jones, long-time chair of WSSU's Department of Computer Science. 

Hundreds of people, which included members of her family, friends, faculty, students, community and state dignitaries, were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. "I am truly humbled by this great honor," Jones said of the dedication. "It is just overwhelming to realize that this 20-year labor of love has come into its own." 

The facility marks a milestone critical to establishing information technology as one of WSSU¹s "academic center of excellence," advancing the information technology field and preparing students for new career opportunities while providing the latest tools for its researchers. 

The 62,000 sq. ft. building features nine classrooms, three  computer laboratories and eight dedicated education/research laboratories, including a state-of-the-art interactive classroom for use in two-way videoconferencing and distance learning activities. It also incorporates very high-speed communications and networking technologies, which will be used by WSSU researchers to collaborate with scholars at other universities connected to an advanced network known as  "Internet 2." 

With laboratories designed to adapt as the computer science and information management disciplines change, the facility supports studies in a wide range of computer technologies including: networking; computer graphics and imaging; databases; software engineering; high performance computing, and a visualization laboratory funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). It also features wireless Internet access and hardwire connections in all classrooms.