Five African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions at Universities

Ethel Scurlock, an associate professor of English and African American studies, was named dean of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi. She has been interim dean for the past year. Earlier, she was senior fellow of the Luckyday Residential College and chair of the department of African American studies. She joined the faculty at the university in 1996.

Dr. Scurlock is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where she majored in English. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in English from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

Anthony Davis is the new dean of students and vice president for student engagement at Georgia State University. He was the interim dean of students at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. He is a former member of the National Football League’s Indianapolis Colts.

Davis holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is currently completing work on doctorate in educational leadership at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Corey Smith is the new dean of the Chapel and spiritual engagement at Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina. He will also serve as Lay Vicar of Saint Philip’s Chapel.

Dean Smith is a graduate of the University of Georgia and the Virginia Theological Seminary.

Joi Spencer has been named the next dean of the School of Education at the University of California, Riverside, effective January 1. She is a professor of mathematics education at the University of San Diego. She has served on the faculty at the University of San Diego for 16 years.

Professor Spencer holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Lisa Owens-Jackson was appointed dean of the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics at North Carolina A&T State University. She was serving as chair of the department of accounting and economics.

Dr. Owens-Jackson is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, where she majored in accounting. She holds a master’s degree from Ohio State University and a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University.

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