August 23, 2023
I am thrilled to announce that Dr. Josiah Sampson, III, accepted our offer to become Tougaloo College’s next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective September 1, 2023. In his new role, Dr. Sampson will lead the Schools of Education, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences and the Offices of Sponsored Programs, First-Year Program, Institutional Effectiveness, QEP/Faculty Development, Honors Program, Career Readiness and Innovative Leadership, and Tougaloo Online.
Dr. Sampson comes to Tougaloo College from Jackson State University, where he served as Vice President for Enrollment Management, providing leadership and oversight for the university’s strategic enrollment management planning for the areas of admissions and recruitment, financial aid services, scholarships, and registrar and records services.
Before joining Jackson State University, he served as provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at Saint Augustine’s University, where he was responsible for advancing the academic profile and purpose of the university, establishing the appropriate level of academic rigor for existing academic programs, developing and supervising new programs, increasing faculty and student research, and advising and mentoring faculty and students. He has also taught and held administrative positions at Elizabeth City State University and Stillman College.
Dr. Sampon is well-positioned to lead the Division of Academic Affairs. He brings experience, expertise, and proven results to navigate the complex environment we now face in higher education. He is passionate about transformative learning and teaching and is committed to enhancing student success and increasing student retention and graduation rates.
Dr. Sampson said, “He is excited and looks forward to working with the entire leadership team to build on the momentum and help Tougaloo continue achieving its goals.”
Thank you to the members of the Search Committee led by Vice President Pacey Bowens for their outstanding work. You evaluated a highly qualified, diverse pool of candidates and presented an exceptional set of finalists. Finally, I thank and commend the Interim Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Daphne Chamberlain, for her unwavering leadership and the remarkable job she did filling this important role while continuing to provide outstanding leadership for the Division of Strategic Initiatives. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Sampson into the Tougaloo College community.
