Leroy Staggers

Dr. Leroy Staggers is the tenth President of Morris College and he has been a part of the Morris College family for twenty-five years. For sixteen years he served as Academic Dean and Professor of English. The Academic Dean is a member of the Cabinet and is responsible for the supervision of all academic programs, all full time and part-time faculty members and all academic support instructional programs. Dr. Staggers has held other positions at the College to include Chairman of the former Division of Religion and Humanities (now combined with the Division of Social Sciences) and Director of Faculty Development. As Academic Dean, Dr. Staggers worked very closely with the late President Luns C. Richardson on all aspects of Morris College’s on-going reaffirmation of accreditation efforts, including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

In addition to serving in several administrative positions at Morris College, Dr. Staggers has remained committed to teaching in his role as Professor of English. Frequently, he teaches English courses and enjoys working directly with students in the classroom and directly contributing to their intellectual growth and development. Dr. Staggers joined the Morris College family in 1993 as an Associate Professor of English.

Before joining the Morris College family in August of 1993, Dr. Staggers served as Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of English and Director of Faculty Development at Barber-Scotia College in Concord, North Carolina. Additional higher education administrative and teaching appointments included serving as Chairman of the Division of Humanities and Assistant Professor of English at Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina. Also, Dr. Staggers served as Instructor of English and Reading at Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama.

Dr. Staggers was born in Kingstree, South Carolina and grew in Salters, South Carolina. He graduated from C. E. Murray High School in Greeleyville, South Carolina. He received an undergraduate degree from Voorhees College and earned both doctorate and master’s degrees from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. Also, he completed the Harvard University Institute for Educational Management (IEM) Program. The Harvard University IEM Program “addresses the critical stewardship role played by senior-level leaders at their institutions and provides a core set of conceptual tools for understanding both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of effective institutional leadership.”

He is a member of Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church (JMBC) in Sumter, South Carolina where Rev. Dr. Marion Newton is Pastor. He served for 5 years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the JMBC Christian and Academic School. Dr. Staggers’ favorite Scripture for constant meditation is: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”