Denise Gregory Named Jackson State University President

Jackson State University (JSU) has appointed Dr. Denise Gregory as its 14th president – the first alumna to hold the role permanently – ending nearly a decade of leadership instability at the Mississippi historically Black college and university (HBCU).

The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning confirmed Gregory’s permanent appointment after she served as interim president since May 2025. To do so, the board waived a policy barring interim leaders from consideration for the permanent post.

Gregory earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from JSU before completing her doctorate at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She most recently served as the university’s provost and vice president of academic affairs.

The appointment concludes an eight-month search and comes as JSU works to stabilize enrollment and restore donor confidence following years of presidential turnover.

“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,” said Dr. Steven Cunningham, vice president of the board and chair of the search committee.

Gregory’s selection from JSU’s own alumni base signals a deliberate shift toward continuity – and an effort to ease longstanding tensions between the campus community and state officials over governance transparency.