Eight Women Who Have Been Appointed to Administrative Positions in Higher Education

Rachel Joe Arnold is the new director of development for the College of Communication and Fine Arts and the International Arts Center at Troy University in Alabama. She previously worked as an administrative assistant in the Office of the Chancellor and also serves as an adjunct instructor in the School of Journalism.

Arnolds holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and a master’s degree in strategic communication from Troy University.

Brenda Murrell is the new associate vice chancellor for research in the Office of Sponsored Programs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. She has served in the role on an interim basis for the past year. She has been on the staff at the university for 17 years.

Murrell holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Memphis and a bachelor’s degree in management from Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis. She earned an MBA in finance from Christian Brothers University in Memphis.

Tracie Brown was promoted to assistant vice president in the Division of Student Affairs at Oklahoma State University. She will now oversee the long-term financial planning for the division along with her continued role as senior director of Student Union operations.

Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and management and a master’s degree in accounting from Oklahoma State University.

Felicia L. McMillan has been appointed registrar at South Carolina State University. She has served as acting registrar since 2019. McMillan began her career at the university in 2006 as the records analyst in the registrar’s office. She was promoted to assistant registrar in 2008.

McMillan received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from what is now Voorhees University in Denmark, South Carolina. She holds a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from South Carolina State University, and a master’s degree in the technology of education from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Tara Nepper was promoted to director of alumni relations for the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She was the assistant director of alumni relations in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the university.

Nepper is a graduate of Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, Virginia, where she majored in marketing communications.

Jean Mercer was named senior assistant provost for sponsored programs administration and compliance at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. She was associate vice chancellor for research administration at the University of Tennessee. Earlier, she was on the staff at Indiana University for 20 years rising to the post of director of grant services.

Mercer earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in international business from the University of Colorado. She holds a master’s degree in research administration from the University of Central Florida.

Endia DeCordova was selected as the next vice president for institutional advancement at Morgan State University in Baltimore, effective July 12. She will also serve as the executive director for the Morgan State University Foundation. DeCordova currently serves as vice chancellor for advancement at Rutgers University, Camden. Earlier, she was assistant vice president for development and strategic initiatives for the University of Connecticut Foundation.

DeCordova received a bachelor’s degree in communications/public relations from Morgan State University. She holds an MBA in marketing management from the University of Hartford in Connecticut.

Jessie Rosenberg is the new vice president for philanthropy in the Office of Institutional Advancement at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Most recently, Rosenberg served as vice president for philanthropy for the Wellstar Health System Foundation. Earlier, she was executive director for foundation/philanthropy at Piedmont Healthcare.

Rosenberg is a graduate of the University of Alberta in Canada.