Lynn Okagaki is the new deputy provost for academic affairs at the University of Delaware. She has served in the post on an interim basis since July 2015. Earlier, she was dean of the College of Education and Human Development at the university. Earlier in her career, Dr. Okagaki was commissioner for education research in the Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education.
Dr. Okagaki is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, where she majored in applied behavioral sciences. She earned a Ph.D. in developmental psychology at Cornell University.
Evelyn P. Leathers was appointed vice president of institutional advancement at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina. She has served as vice president for institutional advancement at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, and Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Leathers holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro and currently is a doctoral student in leadership studies.
Sonja A. Bennett-Bellamy was named associate vice president of advancement at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was vice president of institutional advancement and university relations at South Carolina State University.
Bennett-Bellamy is a graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, where she majored in journalism. She holds an MBA from Strayer University.

Graham is a graduate of the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago Law School.

Cutway holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in counseling and human relations from Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

McCourt is a graduate of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and holds an MBA from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Ballard is a graduate of Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York, where she majored in political science. She earned a master’s degree in college student personnel at Bowling Green State University.

Royal-Fischer is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati.

Jolley is a graduate of Simmons College in Boston, where she majored in communications and women’s studies.

Melvin is a graduate of Xavier University in New Orleans, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Fisk University in Nashville.

Jarvis is a graduate of Vassar College, where she majored in psychology and media studies. She earned a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University.

Fitzpatrick is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where she majored in English language and literature. She holds a master’s degree in gerontology from Rutgers University in New Jersey.


