SW Mississippi News

Dr. Natasha Hutson appointed Chief of Staff

Dr. Natasha Hutson has been appointed to serve as Chief of Staff at Alcorn State University.  In this role, she will be responsible for working closely with the president and senior leadership team to provide strategic guidance and support to the University.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Hutson as the new Chief of Staff,” said Dr. Felecia M. Nave, president of Alcorn State. “With her extensive experience and commitment to higher education, we are confident that she will play a key role in advancing the mission and vision of our institution. We look forward to her contributions and leadership in this new role."

Other responsibilities include overseeing the implementation of the president's strategic plan initiatives, managing special projects, serving as a liaison between the President and various internal and external stakeholders as well as representing the University in various meetings and events.

“I am excited for the opportunity to continue building on Alcorn’s rich legacy of excellence and contributing to the University’s continued success as a leader in higher education,” said Hutson.  “I look forward to serving in this new capacity by working alongside Dr. Nave and the Alcorn community to achieve the institution’s strategic goals.”

With over 15 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education providing strategic vision, direction, and coordination of multiple functional areas and departments, Dr. Hutson has a demonstrated commitment to student success, collaboration and partnership, and a campus culture that encourages students, faculty, and staff to connect, engage, and belong.

Prior to this appointment, Dr. Hutson served as the Assistant Vice-President for Student Development and Dean of Students.  Dr. Hutson is demonstrably a strong advocate for student engagement.  She has contributed to the student success strategic priorities of Alcorn through partnership with faculty and staff to offer students significant co-curricular experiences and engagement initiatives that support students’ academic, personal, and professional goals. Under Dr. Hutson’s leadership, students participated  in the HBCU Bowl and Career Fair,  Student Leadership Institute sponsored by the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals (NASAP), and the HBCU Kings and Queens Conference.

Dr. Hutson also has served in the role of faculty at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and as committee chair for the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) at Clayton State University.  She serves as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Community Engagement in Higher Education where her original research, Institutionalizing Community Engagement in Higher Education: A Quantitative Approach to Engagement based on Institutional Characteristics was published in 2019. Dr. Hutson’s research on community engagement in higher education has been widely disseminated and she provided oversight over $1 Million from AmeriCorps National Service Grant to provide scholarships to students. 

Dr. Hutson is a native of Atlanta, Georgia.  She received her undergraduate degree from Mercer University in Political Science, her master’s degree from Florida State University in Public Administration, and her doctorate degree from Valdosta State University in Educational Leadership.  She is a member of NASPA and serves as the Mississippi Legislative Coordinator for the Association of Student Conduct Administrators.  She was a 2022 participant in the NASPA Ujima Institute, a leadership institute for support and mentoring African American and Black professionals who aspire to senior leadership.

Original source can be found here.