Grambling State News

An esteemed Grambling State University (GSU) administrator/educator is set to join a prestigious program designed to build a bigger and better future for herself as well as the university overall.

Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Associate Dr. Roshunda L. Belton-Cardoza has been selected as part of the 2024 cohort selected by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to participate in its 2024 Becoming a Provost Academy (BAPA).

The yearlong leadership development program, which is offered in partnership with the American Academic Leadership Institute (AALI), will take place from July 2024 to July 2025. Programming kicked off this week at the AASCU 2024 Summer Meeting for Academic and Student Affairs Leaders in Denver.

BAPA offers a rich experience designed to prepare seasoned academic affairs administrators to be effective and successful provosts.

During the program, the 38 aspiring provosts announced Thursday will learn about the expectations of the role, network with colleagues, form lasting bonds, and gain comprehensive preparation in the areas of most critical concern to provosts. Subject matter experts — including sitting provosts, presidents, and chancellors — will lead seminars addressing vital topics as they weave the themes of student success, diversity, equity, and inclusion into all discussions.

Dr. Belton-Cardoza earned her M.A. in History with a focus in Ancient History and a B.A. in History, and a Ph.D.  in History, specializing in British Intellectual History. She earned her M.A. in History with a focus in Ancient History and a B.A. in History.

A dedicated educator committed to professional growth and institutional achievement. In this current role, Dr. Belton-Cardoza leads the initiative to expand and strengthen online learning, and she is responsible for the implementation and oversight of initiatives that support organizational and institutional goals.

As a professor of history, Dr. Belton-Cardoza teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses ranging from the Roman Republic and Empire to 20th-Century Europe. While her area of specialization is British Intellectual History, Dr. Belton-Cardoza is extending beyond these parameters to explore the development and impact of the Rosenwald Schools as a reflection of the African American intellectual movement.

Dr. Belton-Cardoza has received various honors throughout her academic career, delivered conference presentations, and published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.

She has received various honors throughout her academic career, delivered conference presentations, and published peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and is looking forward to the BAPA program will make her leadership skills even stronger than they already are.

“Being selected for the BAPA cohort is an honor and will contribute to my emergence as a more effective administrative leader who can make transformative changes in higher education,” Dr. Belton-Cardoza said. “I recognize the significance of honing my leadership skills, and this experience will help shape and define my leadership style and enable me to successfully implement different activities and strategies to better achieve the mission and goals of the University and the Division of Academic Affairs.”

In her spare time, Dr. Belton-Cardoza loves to travel abroad and visit historical sites. She has led trips to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Florence, Assisi, and Rome. She strongly believes that travel abroad programs enhance historical knowledge and enrich cultural understanding and diversity.

This cohort, which is BAPA’s largest, will benefit from peer-to-peer learning, in addition to mentoring and executive coaching.

“We are proud of the successful leaders BAPA has supported since its inception,” said Terry Brown, AASCU’s vice president of Academic Innovation and Transformation. “As regional public universities address challenges, we need academic leaders who put students at the center of their decision-making.”

“We are thrilled to welcome this year’s BAPA cohort to the program. We look forward to working with them during the year and watch them as their careers move forward over the next few years,” said Javier Cevallos, AALI president.

Since 2016, 40 BAPA participants have become provosts serving at AASCU member institutions, and 10 have gone on to become presidents or chancellors.