Whitley Named Interim Dean of N.C. A&T’s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Aug. 5, 2024) – Sheila Whitley, Ph.D., has been named interim dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, effective Aug. 1.

Whitley has served at N.C. A&T for 40 years, most recently as the college’s associate dean for undergraduate and student affairs. In that role, she was responsible for leading curriculum planning, as well as assisting departments with implementing and evaluating curricula.

Her previous roles in CAHSS include serving as interim associate dean, interim chair of the Department of Liberal Studies and associate chair of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. The latter two programs have gained notoriety as the top producers of African American graduates in the nation.

“Dr. Whitley has demonstrated a commitment to excellence through her initiatives to improve the structure and business processes of the college, especially related to student success and advising. She continues to support faculty and staff and makes herself readily available to constituents in the college,” said Tonya Smith-Jackson, Ph.D., provost and executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “Her prolific scholarly record of publications and funding will allow her to lead CAHSS as it positions itself to align with our vision for research expansion.”

Whitley earned a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a focus in higher education administration from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, M.A. in educational media from Appalachian State University and B.A. in radio, television and motion pictures from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to publishing several book chapters, her photography has been featured in exhibits at A&T’s University Galleries. She also has produced or directed numerous audio, video and documentary projects.

Whitley received the 2020-21 CAHSS Service Award and holds memberships in Phi Kappa Phi national honor society, Kappa Tau Alpha journalism and mass communication honor society and Gamma Sigma Delta agriculture honor society.

CAHSS enrolled 1,947 students last fall and is home to six departments that provide rigorous coursework and a well-rounded education. Recently, the college added graduate programs in criminal justice, welcoming an inaugural cohort of 14 master’s and six Ph.D. students. The annual Text-in-Community common book program at the university is a collaboration between CAHSS and the Honors College and will feature “Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines” by Dr. Joy Buolamwini in the coming academic year.