Samantha Morgan-Curtis

Samantha A. Morgan-Curtis is an accomplished academic leader with more than three decades of experience in higher education, currently serving as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Tennessee State University. She leads a complex, multidisciplinary college encompassing 11 academic programs and nearly 900 majors, overseeing approximately 150 faculty and staff, 10 direct reports, and a multimillion-dollar budget. Her leadership is defined by strategic innovation and operational excellence, including oversight of accreditation and assessment aligned with SACSCOC, NASM, NASAD, and state performance funding priorities, as well as guiding the college through critical transitions such as the rapid shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. A tenured Full Professor of English, Morgan-Curtis has held numerous leadership roles across the institution, including Interim Dean, Department Chair, Vice President of the Chairs Council, University Marshal, and advisory board member for the Honors College and Intensive English Center. She is also a recognized innovator in academic programming, having directed the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan (WRITE Program), and led major grant-funded initiatives such as the SHOWcase Project to strengthen career readiness and technology integration in the liberal arts. As an AI Fellow, she advances faculty development through initiatives like “Tiger Time Tech,” positioning the college at the forefront of ethical AI integration in teaching and learning.