PRESS RELEASES

LeMoyne-Owen College Selects 13th President

(Dec. 17, 2020) Dear LeMoyne-Owen College students, faculty, staff, and alumni:
Earlier this year, the Board of Trustees initiated a search process facilitated by AGB Search (Association of Governing Boards) to help us select the 13th president of LeMoyne-Owen College. Because of the pandemic, the process was conducted virtually for the safety of everyone involved. Through a series of virtual listening sessions with stakeholders including students, faculty, staff, alumni, community leaders and others, we put together a profile of attributes we wanted the next president of LOC to exemplify.

The Board also appointed a Search Committee, chaired by Mr. Johnny Pitts (Lipscomb & Pitts), that was comprised of representatives from all the stakeholder groups. Through interviews and assessments, the committee narrowed a pool of 78 highly qualified candidates to 4 finalists who were then introduced to the constituency groups during a series of virtual interviews.

Based on input and feedback from all participating stakeholders and using the Presidential Profile as a guide, the Board of Trustees has selected Vernell A. Bennett-Fairs, Ed.D. as the 13th president of LeMoyne-Owen College. Dr. Bennett-Fairs has over 25 years of experience in higher education, most recently serving as vice-president of Student Affairs at Delta State University in Mississippi. She also served in a similar role at HBCU, Kentucky State University. Dr. Bennett-Fairs brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in higher education settings and we feel confident that she will continue the transformation already underway at LeMoyne-Owen College.

Dr. Bennett-Fairs will take over from Dr. Carol Johnson Dean on January 5, 2021. We thank Dr. Johnson Dean for her leadership these past 18 months and we look forward to the upward trajectory of the College under the guidance of Dr. Bennett-Fairs.

Please join the entire Board of Trustees in welcoming Dr. Vernell Bennett-Fairs to the LeMoyne- Owen College Magician Family.

Respectfully,
Patricia Covington, Chair Board of Trustees