JACKSONVILLE, FL. (December 18, 2021) – Boasting of a superlative record for supporting overall student development and achievement as a seasoned and progressive student success and engagement leader in higher education, Dr. Jame’l Hodges has accepted an appointment as the new Vice President for Student Success & Engagement at Edward Waters College (EWC).   

 Dr. Hodges will officially begin his tenure, effective January 1, 2021, and will provide direct leadership as the institution’s chief student success and engagement officer charged with bringing the dynamism, energy, innovation, and progressive leadership necessary to efficaciously shape the future of EWC student success and engagement. As a student-centered professional, Dr. Hodges will initiate, develop, maintain, and provide oversight for a comprehensive array of the College’s student focused programs and services including student activities and leadership, religious life, student health services, counseling services, campus safety/security, residence life and housing, and career services all of which combine to create a holistically phenomenal Tiger student experience.

“We endeavored to find a vanguard student success leader who would be dedicated to comprehensively enhancing the student engagement, student leadership, and overall student experience at our venerable institution and Dr. Hodges emerged as precisely the archetype of senior student administrative leader for which we were searching,” said EWC President & CEO, Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr.

 As an accomplished student affairs professional, Dr. Hodges most recently served as Associate Vice President for Student Success & Engagement at Virginia State University (VSU) where he dually led in the development and implementation of student programming and experiential initiatives designed to enhance student academic progress, student leadership, and student’s overall personal growth and professional readiness. He also shared leadership responsibilities in support of new student orientation, campus residence life and housing, student conduct as well as oversight of various campus student activities/engagement initiatives, greek life, intramurals, and student sponsored clubs and organizations.

 “Dr. Hodges possesses both the relevant experience and vision to engage our EWC students in new and exciting ways and we look forward with great anticipation to achieving unprecedented successful outcomes amongst our Edward Waters College students under his leadership,” President Faison said.            

 Dr. Hodges administrative experiences in higher education and particularly in student affairs spans multiple leadership appointments at various universities across a distinguishably progressive career. He formerly served at Tennessee State University (TSU) initially as Director of Student Activities and later as Assistant Dean of Student Life and Engagement before eventually being named Assistant Vice President. Prior to TSU, Dr. Hodges served as Coordinator of Residential Education and Leadership at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (Cal Poly-Pomona) after having served as Director of Multicultural Affairs at Lehigh University and Coordinator of Greek Life and Education at The University of Georgia.  

“I am filled with excitement and enthusiasm to join in partnership with President Faison and the academic community at EWC in service and support of the outstanding students at Edward Waters College,” said Dr. Hodges.

“As an institution of Emerging Eminence I am honored to have been selected by Dr. Faison to lead the student success and engagement effort at EWC and I am eager to work towards bringing his compelling vision for the EWC student experience into fruition,” Dr. Hodges said.   

 A native of Long Island, New York, Hodges earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English/Mass Communications from Virginia State University (VSU) where he was a member of the VSU Track and Field team and also held the title of Mr. VSU. He later earned a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Higher Education Administration from Florida State University (FSU) before earning a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Higher Education Administration from the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Hodges holds active membership and leadership posts in the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals (NASAP) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) and is a graduate of NASPA’s Aspiring Vice President’s Institute. He is an Eta Cohort Fellow of the Higher Education Leadership Foundation (HELF) and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

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Edward Waters College (EWC), accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges, and Schools (SACS) and member of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), is a private, historically black, urban college which offers a liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on the Christian principles of high moral and spiritual values. EWC was established in 1866 and is an African Methodist Episcopal Church-related institution of learning. It is the oldest private institution of higher education in the State of Florida.