NASHVILLE, Tenn.: The Tennessee Board of Regents has narrowed the candidates for Tennessee State University president to a final four that includes a University of Akron administrator.
Candace Campbell Jackson, a vice president and chief of staff at the University of Akron, is among the finalists, the Tennessean newspaper reported.
Jackson issued a statement to the newspaper saying she was thrilled to be invited to Nashville “to meet the Tennessee State University family.”
Jackson, 46, could not be reached for comment Saturday. She has a law degree from UA and is on the board of directors for the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio.
Prior to joining UA, Campbell was a lawyer at Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs LLP, practicing in the Akron and Cleveland offices. She received her law degree from UA in 1995.
None of the candidates to lead the historically black institution has been a college president before, according to the Tennessean.
They come from colleges in Alabama, Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee, and at least two have Nashville ties. All have significant experience in fundraising.
A search committee chose them after a five-month search. They will visit the campus Oct. 29-Nov. 1 and participate in public forums that will be streamed online.
The other candidates are:
• Ainsley Carry, vice president for student affairs at Auburn University. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida, along with a doctorate in education. He also has an MBA from Auburn, where he’s been vice president of student affairs and an assistant professor since 2009.
• Glenda Glover, dean of the college of business at Jackson State University in Mississippi. She is a Memphis native and graduate of TSU, where she was a math major. She earned an MBA from Clark Atlanta University, a doctorate from George Washington University and a law degree from Georgetown.
• Bennie Harris, vice president of development and alumni relations at Lipscomb University since 2007. He is the sole Nashville candidate. He received his doctorate from the University of Alabama, and his background is primarily in marketing and university development.