DSU Welcomes New Leadership Appointees

8/23/13

DSU welcomes the following new appointees to leadership posts:

Dr. Saundra F. DeLauder – dean of Graduate Studies. Dr. DeLauder comes to DSU after serving in a variety of faculty, research and administrator posts at North Carolina Central University from 1996 to 2013, including associate dean of the College of Science and Technology and interim dean of Graduate Studies. She has a BS in Chemistry, an MS in Physical Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Howard University.

Dr. Stacy L. Downing – associate vice president of Student Affairs. Dr. Downing comes to DSU after serving from 2011 to 2012 as the vice president for Student Affairs at Philander Smith College in Arkansas. She also served in several director posts at the University of Cincinnati from 1999-2011. She has a BS in Psychology, an MS in Criminal Justice and an Ed.D. in Urban Education Leadership from the University of Cincinnati.

Dr. Marsha T. Horton, interim dean of the College of Education, Health & Public Policy. Dr. Horton most recently served one year as a dean and associate professor at Virginia Union University’s School of Education, Psychology and Interdisciplinary Studies. Her 39-year education career has included leadership posts at Wilmington University, the Delaware Department of Education and the South Carolina Department of Education. Dr. Horton has a BA in Psychology from Sweet Briar College in Virginia and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Illinois.

Ebony M. Ramsey – director of Student Leadership and Activities. Ms. Ramsey comes to DSU after serving in a variety of posts at Winston-Salem State University, N.C., from 2002-2012, including director of Student Activities from 2010-2012. She has a BA in Theatre and an MS in Adult Education/Higher Education from North Carolina A&T University.

Dr. Adenike M. Davidson -- chair of the Department of English and Foreign Languages. She arrives at DSU after serving as a faculty member at Fisk University in Nashville from 2005-2013, where she rose to the rank of professor of English. Prior to that she was a professor of English at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Davidson has a BA in English from the College of Holy Cross, Worcester, Mass., an MA in Afro-American Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Alankato D. Cobb, Sr. – assistant vice president of Facilities Management.  He comes to DSU after serving during the last year as a facilities planning engineer at Lincoln University (Pa.). His 16-year engineering career includes work as a senior project manager for Delaware Engineering and Design Corp. He has a 1995 BS in Electrical Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology in Orlando, Fla.

Erin Hill – newly promoted assistant vice president of Enrollment Management. Ms. Hill arrived at DSU after serving in Admissions at Appalachian State University from 2002-2009. She has been a part of Enrollment Management from 2009 to present, include serving as executive director of Admissions since 2010. She has a 2001 BA in Communication and a 2006 MS in Higher Education Administration, both from Appalachian State University.

Dr. Michael A. Boone – interim assistant vice president for Distance Education. He arrived at DSU in April 2013 after serving the previous eight months as the academic program manager at Post University in Connecticut; he also was the lead instructor for that institution’s MBA program. He was the director of Business Process Engineering at Florida A&M University from 2009-2001; he also held various director posts with the North Carolina Department of Revenue.

Pamela Adams – new director of Spiritual Life and University chaplain. Prior to her arrival at DSU, Rev. Adams was a chaplain and family advocate for three years in the Clinical Pastoral Care Department at The John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. She is a 9½-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in Theology from the Amora Deliverance Theological Institute in Fayetteville, N.C. She also completed a two-year Clinical Pastoral Care Residency Program at Durham (N.C.) Veterans Affairs Medical Center and The John Hopkins Hospital.

Jordin N. Williams – new director of the Department of Wellness & Recreation. Ms. Williams served as the interim director of the department from August 2010 to August 2013. She has been with the department (formerly assistant director) since 2009. Prior to that, she was the club sport coordinator at Temple University in Philadelphia (2006-2009). Ms. Williams has a BS in Business Management and an MS in Sports Management.

Kerri M. Scroope, head coach of women’s soccer. Coach Scroope arrives at DSU after serving as the head coach for both women’s soccer and softball at Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I. There she guided the soccer team to three consecutive double-digit winning seasons and four Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship Tournament appearances. She has a BS in Social Science from Stony Brook University, N.Y., where she played on the soccer and basketball teams.

Kisya Killingsworth-Putney, head coach of women’s volleyball. Prior to accepting the DSU post, she was an assistant volleyball coach at Bethune-Cookman University. Coach Killingsworth-Putney was a standout volleyball athlete at the University of Florida, where she earned a 2008 bachelor’s degree in Family, Youth and Community Science.