Provost Nicolle Parsons-Pollard Selected as Participant in 2027 Class of Leadership Atlanta

ATLANTA - Georgia State University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Nicolle Parsons-Pollard has been selected as a participant in the class of 2027 of Leadership Atlanta, a prestigious nine-month leadership program drawing together 86 community leaders.

Leadership Atlanta, founded in 1969, is the oldest continuously running training program of its kind in the United States. Its 56th class includes leading representatives from a wide range of industries and enterprises who share a common desire to move Atlanta forward by delving deeply into community issues.

During the nine-month program, the class will learn more about the region by participating in retreats, full-day seminars, service projects, discussion groups, community tours and other impactful experiential activities. In addition to exploring important regional issues, class members will critically examine themselves as leaders, challenge themselves to find ways to be more effective in their leadership roles, and build relationships of trust and mutual understanding with each other.

"Georgia State's work is deeply connected to Atlanta and its future," Parsons-Pollard said. "I am honored to join Leadership Atlanta and look forward to engaging with other leaders to better understand the challenges shaping our region and to contribute to solutions that strengthen our communities."

Parsons-Pollard's leadership role at Georgia State is vast, including a key role in Georgia State's BluePrint to 2033 strategic plan, with oversight of initiatives that are bringing the plan's goals into reality.

The plan's ambitious initiatives place Atlanta at its heart - including defining its sense of place and identity, partnerships bringing students beyond college to career, engaging students with community partners, academic and research innovations, and the next level of student success efforts.

Parsons-Pollard has served as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs since 2023 after service as interim provost since 2022. Prior to this leadership role, she was appointed in 2020 as Georgia State's associate provost for faculty affairs.

A professor of criminal justice, prior to her time at GSU she completed an American Council on Education (ACE) fellowship during the 2014-15 academic year. Some of her previous academic leadership positions include vice provost for academic and faculty affairs at Monmouth University, and assistant vice provost for academic operations at Virginia State University.

She earned her Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in public policy and administration, as well as a master's degree in criminal justice and a bachelor's in mass communications from VCU.

For more about Parsons-Pollard, click here. For more about Leadership Atlanta, visit the Leadership Atlanta website here.

- Story by Jeremy Craig, communications manager for the Office of the Provost