An Exclusive Interview with Dr. Cornell Thomas, President of Jarvis Christian College

by Michael Robinson

Education: The Natural Bridge CEO and Founder Michel S. Davis-Robinson conducted an exclusive interview with Dr. Cornell Thomas, the eleventh president of Jarvis Christian College. You can listen to this exclusive interview on radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator, THE JOURNEY BEGINS at http://www.live365.com/cgi-bin/mini.cgi?station_name=mdavisro&tm=7566

Bio

Dr. Cornell Thomas formerly served as System Vice President for Institutional Diversity at Oklahoma State University. He was responsible for institutional initiatives related to increasing and maintaining diversity within the university community and system, and fostering equal opportunity for all students, faculty and staff. He was also responsible for assessing, developing, implementing, and monitoring university-wide goals and activities designed to improve and promote educational equity and diversity, including the recruitment and retention of minority undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and personnel at all levels.

Prior to his work at Oklahoma State University, he joined the Texas Christian University faculty in 1990 as an assistant professor of educational foundations and administration. Prior to that, he spent four years as a principal with the Dallas Independent School District, two years as an assistant principal and six years as a teacher. Thomas received his bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Missouri, St. Louis, his master’s degree in music education from Jackson State University, and his doctorate in educational administration from Texas A&M University, Commerce.

In 1998 he received the Dean’s Teaching Award at TCU and in 2000 was named the recipient of the Elizabeth Youngblood Proffer Award. He serves on several community boards and committees, is the author of nearly 100 refereed publications and numerous other publications and has presented papers at international, national and regional conferences.Thomas and his wife are the parents of three daughters and six grandchildren.