Eleven Women Who Have Been Appointed to New Administrative Positions at Colleges and Universities

Marie Collins has been named senior vice president of academic affairs at Hodges University in Naples, Florida. She has served as the director of program development in the university’s School of Health Sciences since August 2018.

Dr. Collins holds a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene and a master’s degree in dental hygiene education both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a doctorate  in educational leadership and administration from Georgia Southern University.

Donna Stewartson has been named college operations director of the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities at Simmons University in Boston. She most recently served as community school director and program administrator at the MLK Jr. K-8 School/YMCA of Greater Boston.

Stewartson is a graduate of Boston College where she majored in political science with a minor in African American studies. She holds an MBA from Simmons University.

Leanna Blevins has been named assistant vice president for health, science, and technology education at the Virginia Tech-Carilion School of Medicine in Roanoke. She was the executive director of the New College Institute.

Dr. Blevins is a graduate of Virginia Tech where she majored in communication and media studies. She holds a master of education degree in social and philosophical foundations of education and a Ph.D. in higher education policy both from the University of Virginia.

Adrienne Wyatt is the new registrar at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. She was registrar at Jarvis Christian College in Decatur, Georgia. Earlier, she was registrar and director of student information systems at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Wyatt is a graduate of Shorter University in Rome, Georgia, where she majored in business administration. She earned an MBA through the University of Phoenix and is pursuing an educational doctorate from Fielding Graduate University.

Lashun Aron-Smith has been named vice president for academic affairs at Martin University in Indianapolis. She was director of academic initiatives in the School of Business at the University of Indianapolis.

Dr. Aron-Smith holds a doctorate in higher education with a specialization in administration and adult education from Argosy University in Chicago, Illinois.

Christy Pratt has been named director of admissions at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. She was senior associate dean for undergraduate admissions at the University of Virginia.

Pratt is a graduate of Frostburg State University in Maryland. She holds a master’s degree from Hood College in Frederick, Maryland.

Elizabeth Hall has been named director of assessment for the College of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. She was a clinical pharmacy specialist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Dr. Hall holds a bachelor’s degree and doctor of pharmacy degree both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Pamela Richardson Wilks has been named chief of staff and assistant to the president for strategic initiatives at Edward Waters College in Jacksonville, Florida. She most recently served as associate vice president for academic affairs at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Dr. Wilks holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in English and African-American literature both from North Carolina A&T State University. She earned a Ph.D. in English, literature, and criticism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Gail Cowie has been named a senior research professional in the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State University. She was the assistant branch chief at the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

Dr. Cowie is a graduate of Wells College in Aurora, New York, where she majored in biology. She holds a master’s degree in zoology and a Ph.D. in public administration both from the University of Georgia.

Julie Jordan has been named interim vice president of research and economic development at Mississippi State University. She was the associate vice president for international programs and executive director of the MSU International Institute.

Jordan is a graduate of Mississippi State University.

Meghan S. Frost has been named the assistant vice president of development at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She was assistant vice president of development and alumni engagement at Northern Arizona University.

Frost is a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, where she majored in English language and literature. She holds a master’s degree in rhetoric and communication from Ohio University.