Gloria Jackson, former president of St. Philip’s College in Texas, passed away on March 23, 2024. She was 92 years old.
Dr. Jackson had a career in higher education that spanned five decades. Her professional academic career began at Alcorn State University in Mississippi, where she earned the title of full professor by the time she left the university in 1973. From there, she joined the faculty at St. Philip’s College, a historically Black community college within the Alamo Colleges District. She started as an instructor in the business department and later was promoted to department chair. In 1982, she was named the college’s eighth president.
In 1985, Dr. Jackson stepped down from her role as president of St. Philip’s College to contribute to special projects at the Alamo Colleges District office, such as the opening of Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas. She also returned to teaching as a faculty member with San Antonio College, ultimately retiring in 1999.
Dr. Jackson received her bachelor’s degree in home economics with additional studies in elementary education from Prairie View A&M University in Texas. While she was a professor at Alcorn State University, Dr. Jackson pursued a graduate education, but because she was a woman of color, she was unable to do so in the state of Mississippi. The state funded her education at Indiana University.