Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A Mississippi State administrator with more than 20 years' experience in personnel management and administration is being named permanent head of the university's Office of Diversity and Equity Programs.
Mary L. Alexander, who holds a doctorate in school administration, is assuming the post in which she has served as interim director for the past year.
"As a career U.S. Air Force officer before holding a number of higher education positions, Dr. Alexander has a deep knowledge of Equal Employment Opportunity policies and procedures," said MSU Interim President Vance H. Watson. "We are pleased that she will lead the university's efforts to ensure an inclusive work and learning environment."
Alexander, a retired lieutenant colonel, was an executive officer responsible for administrative policies and procedures during her last four duty assignments. In addition to Illinois and Columbus Air Force Base, they included Germany and Turkey.
She also has experience as a secondary school teacher and as an education faculty member at Mississippi University for Women and Alcorn State and Mississippi State universities. In 2007, she was named the Black History Month Educator of the Year by the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning.
In addition to an MSU doctorate, she holds a master's degree in management from Webster University and a bachelor's in biology and chemistry from Alabama State University.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.