make sure they graduate in four years or less.
the most comprehensive infrastructure update in the history of Benedict College, meaning all the projects that are currently being worked on will be completed. “We will no doubt have built a new building, if not two. Our graduation rates will place us in the top 10 HBCUs nationwide. I’m quite confident about that. In fact, we’re tied for number 10 as of today, based on this year’s rate.” Dr. Artis was born in Springfield, Massachusetts and raised in southern West Virginia. Despite having two historically Black colleges, only 3% of West Virginia’s population is African American. She credits her HBCU experience for molding her as a leader, allowing her to make important connections, giving her a ‘leg up’ competitively in the world. “Some people say ‘my HBCU is where I’m allowed to be myself.’ I always say my HBCU is what taught me who ‘myself’ was. I didn’t know who I was until I got to an HBCU and began to understand what it is to be a Black woman,” she shared.
Dr. Artis says role models are critically important and that’s what most HBCU campuses provide for students. She was so inspired by her former HBCU president, the late Dr. Hazo Carter and his first lady, the late Judge Phyllis H. Carter, that when she later aspired to be a college president, she chose to attend his alma mater, Vanderbilt University to earn her doctoral degree. “I read up on my president to see how and what his journey looked like to the presidency and decided I’m going to do what my president did so I can become a president. He certainly was very impactful to me,” she said. Dr. Artis is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and holds sisterhood, scholarship, and service very dear to her heart. She encourages other HBCU presidents and aspiring presidents to be authentic and run their race. “Be who you were intended to be and walk in that and know that you are enough, and that you are capable and competent, and that these institutions need the very best version of you to lead.”
Her greatest joy during her 6-year tenure at Benedict College is increasing the college’s graduation rate by 233% in six years. While Benedict College is known for its incredible football team that had an 11-0 season last year and won the SIAC conference championship, Dr. Artis is most proud of the football players’ GPAs. “We had 11 boys get saved and accept Christ last year. We have kids who are academic All-Americans playing football and have not had a single discipline issue with a football player in three years.” Benedict College’s Marching Tiger Band of Distinction performed in last year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Benedict students who may have a business idea, product or service are given space on campus to try out that product, build their business, create a business plan, find funding, and develop a marketing plan.
Dr. Artis says in the next 5 years, Benedict College will have completed
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