Morgan State University Appoints New Leadership in Student Affairs and Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment

AVP for Student Affairs/Dean of Students and Director of Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment Will Advance Student Experience and Enrollment Processes

BALTIMORE — Following consecutive years of record growth in student enrollment, Morgan State University has fortified two key administrative positions responsible for overseeing the student experience and admissions and recruitment, with new leadership appointments. After conducting a comprehensive nationwide search and an evaluation of current employees, Morgan has named Letitia Williams, Ph.D., as associate vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, and Khala Granville, M.Div., as director of Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment. The two new appointees will serve within the University’s Division of Student Affairs and Division of Enrollment Management and Student Success (EMASS), respectively.

The support provided by the Division of Student Affairs spans a myriad of student quality of life areas such as mentoring, mental health, student conduct, residential life, campus activities and career development. Dr. Williams began her tenure during the Fall 2022 semester and is responsible for implementing programs and services that promote, strengthen, encourage and foster student success and well-being. She manages a team of professionals who serve as advocates for students balancing academic and personal responsibilities. She is also responsible for the strategic allocation of resources that help provide students with a positive learning experience. To meet the demands of Morgan’s continued increase in enrollment and the evolving needs of students, the University expanded the capabilities of the division by adding a dean of students to the administrative roster.

“We’re excited to have Dr. Williams on board and already making a difference. She’s been a welcomed addition to the Morgan team and our divisional leadership team in particular,” said Kevin M. Banks, Ed.D., vice president for the Division of Student Affairs. “Dr. Williams brings substantial leadership experiences that will support the strategic goals of not only our division but also the University, and we look forward to her input as we seek to enhance professional development opportunities for our students and explore the development of programmatic clusters within the division.”

As associate vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, Dr. Williams will work collaboratively with other areas of the University to encourage the student population to adhere to the University’s core values and mission. She will also assist with creating and implementing school policies and guidelines and make recommendations that meet students’ needs.

Before her arrival at Morgan, Dr. Williams served in multiple positions at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). Her most recent role at UDC was as associate vice president and dean of students, providing leadership for the Division of Student Development and Success. In this role, she was responsible for multiple departments, including the Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Multicultural Affairs; Student Conduct; Counseling and Wellness Center; International Student Services; Military and Veteran Student Services; Residence Life; Student Center; and more. Earlier at UDC, she served as assistant vice president for Student Development. Dr. Williams also worked at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) as assistant vice president for Student Support Services and at the University of Maryland, College Park as assistant director for the Office of International Initiatives. She earned a Ph.D. in Education Policy and an M.A. in Education Policy and Leadership from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.A. in History from the University of the West Indies.

“I am excited to join the Morgan family and to work with Dr. Kevin Banks and the Student Affairs team,” said Dr. Williams. “It is an honor to have the opportunity to learn from and work with our amazing students in ways that center their identities, celebrate their capacity to excel and enhance their well-being and success. I also look forward to partnering with faculty and colleagues across the Morgan community to further enhance the student experience.”

Spearheading Morgan’s Enrollment Goals

The Office of Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment is responsible for the recruitment, admission and enrollment of new students. Over the last few years, Morgan has experienced a surge in interest from prospective students and great forward momentum in enrollment. As director of Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment, Khala Granville oversees the planning, designing and implementation of the University’s recruitment initiatives in alignment with enrollment goals. Serving in her position since January 2023, Granville also leads the development of proactive recruitment strategies that identify and engage specific populations of potential students. In addition, she interfaces with community members and local employers to develop, maintain and strengthen partnerships that may lead to increased student enrollment.

“Khala has a wealth of experience in admission and recruitment. We look forward to the new ideas and innovative practices that she will bring to undergraduate recruitment here at Morgan,” said Kara M. Turner, Ph.D., vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Success. “She has a fundamental understanding of the process of developing strategic partnerships in higher education, which is essential in attracting and recruiting the best and brightest students to join the Morgan family.”

Granville’s professional career in recruitment spans almost three decades. She has worked in enrollment management for nearly 10 years and in youth development for more than 20 years. Before coming to Morgan, she was operations director for Detroit Action, a community-based organization that provides opportunities for individuals and families through leadership development, education and strategic partnerships. She has also held positions at the College of Charleston, where she served as the dean of Admissions, and at Indiana University Bloomington, as senior associate director of Admissions, Diversity Recruitment and Outreach. In each of these roles, she managed recruitment and oversaw hiring and budgeting to ensure organizational goals were met. Granville has a Master of Divinity from the Christian Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science in Communication from the University of Louisville.

“I am delighted and honored to join the Morgan family as its new director of Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment,” said Granville. “There is much to be excited about on this campus, and I look forward to telling the Morgan story to prospective and newly admitted students. While enrollment is increasing each year, and applications are pouring in, my goal is to develop and implement a strategic enrollment plan that is mission- and data-driven. Alongside Dr. Kara Turner, we’ll be looking at new and emerging enrollment markets, making plans to maintain our current market share in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic areas, strengthening our campus visit experience and, most importantly, developing partnerships within the state of Maryland that create direct pipelines for student enrollment and success.”

In addition to overseeing recruitment activities, Granville will inventory and cultivate pre-college programming that builds affinity to the Morgan brand and will work closely with the Office of Alumni Relations and Strategic Engagement to manage and enhance the University’s domestic and international alumni recruitment network.

About Morgan

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu

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Media Contacts:

Cheryl Stewart or Dell Jackson, for University PR
443-885-3022