Following the introduction of the Search Committee and System's officials, Dr. LaGrande was introduced to the community by Mr. Kendrick Jones, member of the Search Committee and Waller County Commissioner Precinct 3.
More than 500 persons were on hand to greet and welcome Dr. LaGrande in the Opal Johnson Smith Auditorium for the Click Here for Youtube Public Forum
LaGrande shared her personal life experiences leading up to the appointment of President which included her graduation from college, employment with various universities and her accomplishments. She also expressed her vision for the unviersity and the support and cooperation from the staff, faculty, students and the community. LaGrande fielded several questions from the audience and stated that she was looking forward to serving the university.
LaGrande was named the sole finalist following a nationwide search by Chancellor John Sharp who recommended her for the position and approved by the Board on Nov. 10 meeting. Under state law, the Board of Regents must name a finalist for at least 21 days before finalizing the appointment at a subsequent meeting.
Dr. LeGrande, who is currently Vice President for Strategy, Enrollment Management and Student Success at Virginia Commonwealth University, would not assume her duties at Prairie View A&M until the end of the 2022-23 school year. She would succeed Dr. Ruth Simmons, who will become President Emerita and will hold a faculty appointment as University Professor, a position that will allow her to remain a campus figure raising money, expanding the national profile of the university and lecturing to another generation of students. “Dr. LeGrande will provide great leadership for the Panthers for many years to come,” said John Sharp, Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “Her experience and leadership in enrollment management and student success is exactly what PVAMU needs at this juncture to build on the great work Ruth Simmons has provided these past five years. I’m excited by where PVAMU is headed.”
Dr. LeGrande, who has been at Virginia Commonwealth University since 2018, has experience in Texas. She served as an administrator for student affairs and enrollment management at the University of Houston-Downtown from 2012 to 2018. She also received a doctorate in higher education administration from Texas Tech University.
Prior to her duties in Houston, Dr. LeGrande worked at North Carolina A&T State University and Winston-Salem State University. She received her bachelor’s in chemistry from Savannah State University and a master’s in chemistry from North Carolina A&T State University. “I want to thank Chancellor Sharp and the Board of Regents for the opportunity to serve as President of Prairie View A&M University. PVAMU has a strong legacy of transforming the lives of its students and contributing to the surrounding region and state of Texas, both educationally and economically. I look forward to working with the faculty, staff, and community as we honor and build upon the university’s powerful legacy and upward trajectory.”
In May, a 14-member committee was created to conduct a national search to find Dr. Simmons’ successor. The search was led by Bill Mahomes, Vice Chairman of the Board of Regents, and Regent Elaine Mendoza.
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