Dr. Denise Jones Gregory appointed as Jackson State president

Jackson State University has a new president, and it is a familiar face to the university community. The Board of Trustees for the state Institutions of Higher Learning recently concluded their 8-month national search for a new president for Jackson State and selected Dr. Denise Jones Gregory as Jackson State’s 14th president.

Gregory had already served as interim president after being appointed in May 2025. Dr. Steven Cunningham, vice president of the Board of Trustees, spoke about Gregory’s appointment to the permanent position.

“The Board of Trustees put a tremendous amount of time and energy into this search process, and we are confident in Dr. Gregory’s ability to help write the next chapter in Jackson State University’s long history. I also want to recognize and thank the members of the Search Advisory Constituency, who spent hours reviewing applications and interviewing candidates. Their commitment to this process was critical and deeply appreciated.”

Jackson State National Alumni Association President Patrease Edwards, who also served on the search advisory constituency, also spoke highly of the presidential pick.

“This has been a long and involved process, and we’ve worked closely with the Board of Trustees through the reviewing and interviewing of candidates to reach this point. Today we begin a new and exciting part of the story of Jackson State, and we are prepared to support Dr. Gregory as she takes on this role.”

Gregory is an alumna of Jackson State University, graduating in 1994, magna cum laude, earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. After earning her doctorate in chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology, she received training at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She also graduated from the New President’s Academy through the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the Willa B. Player executive leadership program, as well as the HBCU Executive Leadership Institute, the latter two housed at Clark Atlanta University.

Gregory has served Jackson State before, serving as the institution’s provost and vice president of academic affairs. With Gregory’s appointment to the position, she survived two rounds of interviews and background and reference checks. 79 professionals applied for the Jackson State president position.

The post Dr. Denise Jones Gregory appointed as Jackson State president appeared first on ClutchPoints.