A Half Dozen Women Appointed to Positions as Deans at American Universities

Marlyn Delva was appointed dean of students in the School of General Studies at Columbia University in New York City. She is the former dean of students at the Mailman School of Public Health at the university.

Dr. Delva is a graduate of Barnard College in New York City. She holds an educational doctorate from Teachers College at Columbia University.

Mary Huff has been named dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. She has been serving in the role on an interim basis since 2018. Previously, she was the college’s associate dean. She has been on the Bellarmine faculty since 2003.

Dr. Huff is a graduate of Erskine College in Due West, South Carolina, where she majored in biology. She holds a master’s degree in biology from the University of South Carolina and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Louisville.

Takita Felder Sumter is the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. She is a professor of chemistry at the university and served as interim dean during the 2017-18 academic year. Most recently, she served as vice provost for faculty affairs. Dr. Sumter joined the faculty at the university in 2004.

Dean Sumter holds a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of South Carolina and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Camilla P. Benbow has been reappointed as the Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development for the Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. She is a professor of psychology and has led Peabody College since 1998. She also co-directs the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth, a longitudinal study examining the developmental trajectories of more than 5,000 individuals now in its 48th year.

Dr. Benbow holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in education, and a doctorate in gifted education all from Johns Hopkins University.

Jerri A. Haynes is the new dean of the College of Education at Tennessee State University in Nashville. Dr. Haynes was an associate professor and assistant dean of the College of Education at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. Earlier in her career, Dr. Haynes was ESOL coordinator and department chair at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Dr. Haynes holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education from Florida A&M University and a doctorate degree in child and youth studies from Nova Southeastern University.

Cassandra B. Jeter-Bailey has been appointed assistant dean for admission and financial aid at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. She will oversee the law school’s admissions program and financial aid and will be responsible for identifying, recruiting and selecting the incoming class. She is the first African-American and also the first woman to hold this position.

Jeter-Bailey was director of admission for juris doctorate and graduate law programs at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. She is a graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C., where she majored in psychology. Jeter-Bailey earned a juris doctorate and a master’s degree in business law from Capital University Law School.