The board of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning has named Rod Paige as interim president of Jackson State University. Carolyn W. Meyers, who had served as president since 2011, resigned as of November 1. (See JBHE post here.)
In 2001, Rod Paige became the first African American to serve as Secretary of Education. In this role, he led the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. Earlier, he was superintendent of the Houston Independent School District in Texas.
Dr. Paige has previous ties to Jackson State University. He received his bachelor’s degree from Jackson State and served as head football coach from 1964 to 1968. He later was the football coach and athletic director at Texas Southern University in Houston.
Dr. Paige earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in physical education from Indiana University.
