The Office of the Provost

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Mark Lee

Effective July 1, 2025, Mark Lee, Ph.D., associate professor of biology, begins his two-year term as senior vice president for academic affairs at Spelman College. In this key leadership role, Dr. Lee reports directly to the president and plays a vital part in laying the groundwork for the next provost's success.

As senior vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Lee collaborates with faculty to update and strengthen faculty governance, modernize the curriculum, and enhance the effectiveness of academic affairs operations. He leads the review, revision, and implementation of policies and procedures that support strong academic outcomes while working closely with the president, faculty, board of trustees, chief financial officer, and other senior team leaders in shaping decisions that promote faculty excellence, academic planning, and resource allocation.

Dr. Lee plays a vital role in enriching the student experience and advancing initiatives that support student success and integration, while helping to advance the college's strategic priorities during this pivotal moment in higher education.

Academic Leadership at Spelman

No stranger to Spelman College, Dr. Lee began his professional relationship with the institution as an adjunct instructor. That encounter led to becoming a tenure track faculty member at Spelman since 2002. He served as chair of the biology department for seven years (2009-2016) and as associate chair from 2008-2009. His extensive experience includes serving as co-principal investigator for an initiative aimed at advancing Spelman's participation in informatics research and education.

His commitment to shared governance is demonstrated through his peer nominations to serve as a trustee of Spelman College, where he brought valuable insight into the higher education landscape and chaired a board committee charged with strengthening faculty-trustee engagement.

Learn More About Dr. Mark Lee

Congratulations, Tenured and Promoted Faculty!

The Office of the Provost and the entire Spelman College community would like to recognize and congratulate its recently tenured and promoted faculty.

Tenured and Promoted to Associate Professor

• John Givens, Ph.D., Associate Professor, International Studies Department
• Luis González-Barrios, Ph.D., Associate Professor, World Languages and Cultures Department
• Sarah RudeWalker, Ph.D., Associate Professor, English Department

Promoted to Full Professor

• Mentewab Ayalew, Ph.D., Professor, Biology Department
• Kai McCormack, Ph.D., Professor, Psychology Department
• Tiffany Oliver, Ph.D., Professor, Biology Department
• Patricia Ventura, Ph.D., Professor, English Department

Presidential Faculty Awards at Spelman

In August 2024, Former Spelman College President Helene Gayle honored several faculty members with presidential awards for their commitment to scholarship, excellence and mentoring. Celebrate Spelman's stellar faculty for their dedication!

Excellence in Scholarship

• Danielle Dickens, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Psychology
• Na'taki Osborne Jelks, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Environmental and Health Sciences

Excellence in Teaching

• Unislawa Williams, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Political Science
• Celeste Lee, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Sociology and Anthropology

Excellence in Mentoring

• Nicole Taylor, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Education

Excellence in Service

• Dorian Brown Crosby, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Political Science

Teaching Excellence and Innovation Award, Provost Award

• Fernanda Guida, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Portuguese, World Languages and Cultures