BIOGRAPHICAL DATA

 

For

 

Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed, President
Bethune-Cookman University
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Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune founded a Normal Industrial School for girls and transformed the institution into a premier co-educational liberal arts University in the20th century. The second woman to serve after Dr. Bethune, Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed, turned the college into a university in the 21st century which is now known as the “Great”  Bethune-Cookman University.

 

Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed is Bethune-Cookman University’s fifth president and the first woman to serve in this capacity since the institution’s founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. Dr. Reed assumed the presidency of Bethune-Cookman University on August 16, 2004 after a successful career in higher education as both a former college president and a high ranking administrator within The United Methodist Church.

 

Dr. Reed is a student-centered leader, educator, task-master, administrator, visionary/transformative leader, public speaker, motivator, and fund raiser.

 

She currently serves on the UNCF member institutions, the United Methodist Foundation of the Central Council of Finance and Administration. She was recently selected by the Governor of Florida on the State Voluntarism Commission. Dr. Reed is a member of the Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce, Rotary International, the Futures Foundation for Volusia County Schools, and the United Way Board.

 

She was confirmed by the White House to serve on the U.S. President’s White House Advisory Board for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. During that time, she consulted with the U.S. Secretary of Education on issues related to HBCUs. As a former Chairperson of the Foundation for the MidSouth, Dr. Reed worked to improve conditions of citizens in the area of literacy, education and leadership development.

 

While serving as the first female president of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, she brought all fund-raising records after raising more than $30 million dollars in two and a half years.

 

Education- Dr. Reed received a B.A degree in Sociology and the M.S.S.W. (Master of Science in Social Work) from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as an M.A. degree and Doctorate Degree from Columbia University in the area of Adult and Higher Education.

 

Career Highlights- Dr. Reed served 18 years as a senior level administrator with The United Methodist Church. At age 28, she became the youngest CEO elected (General Secretary) of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women which was a national program agency and a shared secretariat position. When later serving as Associate General Secretary for the General Council on Ministries, she developed and implemented educational programs for eight national agencies, seminaries, colleges, and universities around the nation.  Dr. Reed is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Independent Colleges.

 

During her tenure with the denomination, she led and coordinated the denomination’s first national initiative in prison ministry, deaf ministry, and ministries by, with, and for older adults. She drafted legislation and conceptualized a church wide study that developed into a major quadrennial emphasis for the denomination: “Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century.” From 1994-1998, Dr. Reed was Dean of the Leadership Institute and a tenured professor at Columbia College of South Carolina where she founded and edited a refereed journal: “A leadership Journal for Women: Women in Leadership- Sharing the Vision.” While in South Carolina, Dr. Reed was recognized for outstanding leadership by the Governor, voted “Business Woman of the Year” and received the Diamond Twin Award from the YWCA for outstanding leadership and community service.

 

Dr. Reed has taught in the Doctoral program at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio and in the Masters Conflict Resolution program at Antioch University in Ohio.

 

Vision- Dr. Reed’s goals for Bethune-Cookman University include enhancing academic excellence, developing distance education programs, and preserving the vision and legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.

 

As an elementary school student, Dr. Reed became enamored with Bethune-Cookman University after playing the role of University founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, in a school play. Dr. Reed states: “I never thought I would walk in the footprints of such a remarkable leader who served as my role model during my formative years.” Dr. Reed reminds students to sustain the legacy of faith, scholarship, and service by giving back to society and engaging in civic leadership opportunities. Dr. Reed’s vision for preserving Dr. Bethune’s legacy includes the development of an International Institute for Civic Participation and Social Responsibility.

 

Family- Dr. Reed is married to Mr. Willie “Ed” Reed. She has two sons, Jason Preciphs (an attorney in Providence, Rhode Island & Boston, Mass.) and Joseph Preciphs (a resident of Florida who lives with a disability). Dr. Reed is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a member of Steward Memorial United Methodist Church in Daytona Beach, Florida.