Meet Dr. Glenell M. Lee-Pruitt
Jarvis Christian University Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Glenell M. Lee-Pruitt as the university’s 13th president, effective July 1, 2023. She succeeds Dr. Lester C. Newman, who served as the JCU President for 11 years.
Dr. Lee-Pruitt brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the university, including higher education administration and academic affairs, having served as second in command and as a member of the executive cabinet since August 2012 as the provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Jarvis. She has been instrumental in increasing student enrollment, increasing articulation agreements, and establishing the Renaissance Program for Adult Learners on the JCU campus and the JCU Dallas Teaching Site. She has also provided leadership in enhancing academic program offerings, which include online degree completion programs and two online graduate programs.
Previously, she served at Mississippi Valley State University as dean of University College and First Year Experience, director of Community/Service Learning, director of the Renaissance Learning Adult Education Program, and tenured professor in the Department of Social Work.
An ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Lee-Pruitt is a highly sought-after speaker and presenter. She also is active in campus, community, and ministry activities. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Jackson State University, a Master of Social Work degree from Temple University, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Social Work from Jackson State University, and a Master of Divinity from Payne Theological Seminary.
Additionally, she has complete the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents, Clark Atlanta University’s HBCU Executive Leadership Institute, the Council of Independent Colleges’ Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission Program, and the Millennium Leadership Institute.
A recipient of numerous honors, awards, and recognitions including Faculty of the Year and the UNCF Trailblazer Award, Dr. Lee-Pruitt a visionary leader whose distinguished career in higher education, ministry, and public service reflects her deep commitment to student success, institutional advancement, and transformative leadership within the HBCU community.
