Greetings, Friends and Family:

My passion for scholarship, my hometown, and the quest to love, lift, and lead the People caused me to place my name in the ring to be the 13th President of Tennessee State University, my alma mater.

For approximately one hundred twelve (112) years, our institution has stood on the side of academic excellence, civil rights, social justice, and has been instrumental in every realm of human endeavor. Tennessee State University is a pillar of the Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County community, a driver of the state economy, and students, alumni, administrators, faculty, and staff advance solutions to national and global problems.

Tennessee State University is situated in the heart of the African American community of Nashville. From that pulse, the institution has been able to weather the test of time, influence its economic and social development, and positively gentrify it.

I carry over a spin to a statement made at my other alma mater, The Jackson State University, "First comes God. Then comes family and then comes Tennessee State."

It is my desire to serve in the presidential capacity is to be a bridge builder between our beloved institution and the state government and its officials. Through our collaboration, we can achieve great successes, agendas executed, missions fulfilled, and a brighter academic chapter can be written.

The Tennessee State University community is destined to build upon the foundation of previous presidential administrations and move forward its service to Tennessee, the nation, and worldwide. If given the blessing and opportunity to serve, I will be committed to uplifting the spirit of the illustrious institution with all of my might. Together, we can further attain operational effectiveness, public and private partnerships, and a dynamic thriving scholastic environment.

A new vision for "The Land of Golden Sunshine" will beam over the cherished institution each of us so deeply cares about. That vision will require us to modernize and transform to practices, programs, and policies that are high yield and results driven. It will require us to conduct greater research and develop solutions to the most intractable dilemmas in our state, nation, and abroad. That vision will require us to prepare the diverse student body for the present-day workforce and the future. The vision mandates that we strengthen collaborations with external communities. It insists that we systemically restructure, reimagine, and renovate in order to further our state and national missions.

It is my goal to fuse my educational, political, and business prowess to strengthen the trajectory of Tennessee State University. It is with fervent hope, under my leadership and in collaboration of our stakeholders, we will:

-Empower students and families by creating avenues where all can strive academically, personally, socially, and professionally

-Provide more pathways to our high-quality educational programs to first generation college students

-Invest in our faculty and support staff so they reach their fullest potential in every stage of their career

-Partner with local and state government entities and officials as well as the public and private sector to move the institution to greater economic feasibility

-Increase student standards, retention, and graduation rates

-Conduct performance-based program assessments and matrixes based on revenue and enrollment

-Completely review of the tenure status system

-Conduct a study to determine the statistically significant difference in student performance from a tenured and non-tenured faculty member

-Ensure that Tennessee State University has the full technological infrastructure to support our students, staff, faculty, and administration

-Increase the institutional endowment funding to five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) and place us on solid financial footing with fidelity

-Craft and implement a model strategic plan that is data and results-driven, a programmatic thrust that increases degree and certifications offerings, one which scales up the institution as a quantifiable research intensive one and obtain Carnegie R1 Category “Doctoral/Very High Research Activity” status

-Ensure the safety and security of our institution and its vicinity by raising the expectation of campus policing, having a state police presence, and partnering with local community to deter crime and violence

-Expand our reach and widening constituencies of alumni and our supporters and heightening the brand of Tennessee State University in such a way which it can greater compete on the global stage

-Exponentially increase our four-year degree completion rate and raise the five-year and six-year graduation rate

-Drastically restructure and redesign our financial aid program and student registration processes

-Re-establish a United States Air Force Officer Training Corp (AFROTC) on the campus

-Expand our programs and transition to more degree offerings that generate economic growth in the Greater Metropolitan Nashville community, the state, and beyond

-Offer fully accredited Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (B.S. Dental Hygiene)

-Propose forty-five (45) new degree program offerings

-Renovate existing student housing and construct new state-of-the-art coeducational dormitory

-Implement monthly student body town hall meetings for undergraduate and graduate students

-Actively participate and influence the North Nashville Community Engagement/Jefferson Street Study

-Review Institution Safety and Security Assessment in areas such as but not limited to: adequate lighting across both campuses, signage in all buildings, and all administration, faculty, staff, and students are trained on emergency procedures

-Immediately seek current federal grant funding

Tennessee State University can obtain aspirational goals. Together, we can create a research revitalization strategy that transforms the institution. It will take visionary leadership, a masterful and dedicated faculty, staff, and administration, and superb work ethic and  I know we can achieve it. From the day of my appointment forward, we can be a conduit of change.

I believe we can do all things through determination and in the spirit of excellence. I live by the statement, "Whatever is meant to be, it will be mine and to God be all the glory." Please keep me lifted in prayer and in your thoughts as I seek to fulfill a dream, rooted in the American dream to educate and elevate the masses.

Educationally,

Dr. Quintessa Hathaway