Education Department Faculty

Ph.D., Georgia State University
M.S., University of Pennsylvania
B.A., Spelman College

Andrea Lewis Ph.D., is an educator who values and models academic excellence. After graduating summa cum laude from Spelman College, she earned a Master of Science from the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctorate of Philosophy from Georgia State University. Additionally, Dr. Lewis completed a Certificate of Theology and Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. 

Named director of Spelman's Student Success Program in 2021, Dr. Lewis works in her professional career and personal endeavors to ensure that all children receive a strong educational foundation in their early years. Her professional experiences include elementary school teacher, public and private school administrator, and college faculty. Through her efforts as an associate professor and chair of the education department at Spelman College, Dr. Lewis instills passion and purpose in her students who are future educators. She believes that educators must teach from the heart with passion and purpose to help all students reach their highest academic and personal potential.

As evidence of Dr. Lewis’ commitment to preparing teachers with cultural and global competence, she organized Spelman’s first faculty-led trip to Havana, Cuba in December 2015 to examine the intersection of history, economics and politics on the country’s education system. Subsequent trips were sponsored in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Dr. Lewis has authored three books "Preservice Teachers, Social Class, and Race in Urban Schools: Experiences and Strategies for Teacher Preparation," "Valerie’s New Friends" and "Unsung Legacies of Educators and Events in African American Education" (co-authored), as well as book chapters and articles in various books and journals centered on teacher education.

Dr. Lewis has received awards of distinction for exemplary community service and excellence in education from organizations including: Atlanta Public Schools; National Alumnae Association of Spelman College (national organization and Atlanta Chapter); Southeast Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated; Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women; United Negro College Fund; Turner Broadcasting; and Outstanding Atlanta.

Teacher Preparation
Urban Education
History of Education
Social Class in Schools 

Lewis, A. & Taylor, N. (2019). Unsung Legacies of Educators and Events in African American Education. New York: Palgrave McMillan US.

Lewis, A. (2018).  Examining cultural competence through a historical lens. In Cultural Competence of Early Childhood Teachers. London, UK: Taylor, Francis, and Routledge.

Lewis, A. (2017). Black Teachers: 21^st Century’s Most Wanted. In Being Black Is Not a Risk Factor: Statistics and Strengths-Based Solutions in the State of Georgia. Washington, DC: National Black Child Development Institute.

Lewis, A. (2017). Valerie's New Friends. Atlanta: Rathsi Publishing.

Lewis, A. (2016). Preservice teachers, social class and race in urban schools: Experiences and strategies for teacher preparation. New York: Palgrave McMillan US.

Lewis, A. (2016). Boundary crossing: Social class and race in the classroom.  In Hurst, A. & Nenga, S.  (Eds), Bringing class In: Recognizing the power of social class in our academic work. Washington, DC: Rowman & Littlefield Education.

Lewis, A. (2016). Are white child development theorists relevant to 21st century black children?, Journal of the Institute for the Study of the African-American Child, 5(1).

Lewis, A. & Taylor, N. (2015). Enacting diversity in a single gender liberal arts HBCU educator preparation program, Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education (AILACTE) Journal,12(1),  p35-51.

Lewis, A. (2015) Perseverance: The dream will not be deferred. In M. Zhou (Ed), Supporting multiculturalism and gender diversity in university settings (pages 37-55). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Lewis, A. (2014).  A review of through it all: Reflections on my life, my family, and my faith, Multicultural Perspectives, 16(3), 178-179.

This Life: Spelman betting on more black teachers to make the difference
Atlanta Journal Constitution