Morris College welcomes three new leaders

On behalf the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and students, Morris College President Dr. Said Sewell welcomes the arrival of two new interim vice presidents and one vice president to the campus of Morris College in the areas of student and business affairs. Sewell notes, "These appointments come at an important time for our institution as Morris College continues to grow and transform."

Leading in student affairs is Dr. Kevin Reese, native of Dayton, Ohio. Reese currently serves as interim vice president of student affairs and dean of students where he leads efforts in housing and residence life, student conduct, wellness outreach and student activities. He holds a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from The University of Southern Mississippi and has spent his career championing equity, inclusion and student success.

"When I arrived at Morris, I made a commitment to the students that we would create a vibrant campus environment. I expect that Kevin and his teams will bring their vast experiences together to make this year most engaging," Sewell said.

Prior to his arrival at Morris, Reese served as the director of multicultural affairs at Georgia Southern University. He is a highly sought-after speaker, workshop facilitator and panel moderator speaking to his expertise in higher education and leadership development.

Reese is the founder of the Vision of Excellence Scholarship Program, supporting Black male first-generation college students, and the creative force behind the Soul II Sole Line Dance Experience and The Wednesday Experience Podcast. In 2020, he was inducted into the Kentucky State University National Alumni Association's 40 Under 40 Society and received the KSUNAA Presidential Award.

Spearheading the Morris College Division of Business Affairs is Dr. Pacey Bowens, who has served over two decades of executive leadership in all areas of business administration, financial management and investments in public, private and nonprofit organizations. Bowens brings a wealth of knowledge from serving as the vice president for finance administration/chief financial officer for Tougaloo College (Jackson, Mississippi) and the associate vice president for finance at Arkansas Northeastern College with direct engagement with the Board of Trustees, Board of Governors, State Legislative Auditors to owning a business, YECAP Consulting Services offering financial expertise, strategic insight and personalized professional consulting services for You to Effectively Capitalize on Achieving your Purpose.

Bowens provides transformational vision across all aspects of the higher-education community, with an extensive background in budget development, financial reporting, grant management, capital improvement and overseeing audits for federal, state and local compliance regulations.

"The critical responsibility and wealth of knowledge Dr. Bowens brings in financial management and business administration demonstrates Morris College's commitment to fiscal responsibility, accountability and operational excellence. It is our desire that Dr. Bowens' leadership will position Morris College for continued growth and long-term sustainability," Sewell said.

A native of southeast Missouri/northeast Arkansas, Bowens earned her Doctor of Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. Her education also includes a Master of Business Administration/Accounting, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Accounting from the University of Phoenix-Online and an Associate of Arts from Mississippi County Community College (Arkansas Northeastern College). Her mission is to provide leadership in collaboration, communication and transparent accountability to empower and promote individuals, organizations and communities while maintaining a robust level of ethical integrity.

As the national first vice president for the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs, a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated, the Washington School Reunion, Incorporated-Caruthersville, Missouri, and several other community organizations, advocating for youth empowerment through historic preservation brings her great honor, but her best achievement is being the mother of three adult children and grandmother to four grand princesses.

Appointed to the leadership role of interim vice president for enrollment management, Corey S. Edmonds, M.S. ('08), will begin his new position effective Aug. 1.

"In this role," Sewell said, "Mr. Edmonds will lead the Division of Enrollment Management, overseeing the Office of Admissions and Recruitment, Office of Financial Aid, and Registrar, and directing the college's continued efforts to strengthen recruitment strategy, deposit conversion and overall enrollment growth."

A Morris College alumnus, Edmonds returned to his alma mater after most recently serving as associate vice president of enrollment management and executive director of admissions and recruitment, a role he assumed in October 2025 before being elevated to the interim vice president post.

"In that time, he has led the college's fall 2026 enrollment campaign, standing up an Enrollment Management Task Force, building recruiter territory plans and launching initiatives such as the First 15 - $1,000 Scholarship program. He has also developed data infrastructure for the division, including Excel and VBA-based enrollment dashboards and weekly reporting systems, and has organized signature recruitment events including High School Day, SOAR sessions and the Church to College program," added Sewell.

As an adept, experienced practitioner of higher education, Edmonds has built his career at HBCUs and public institutions alike. He began at North Carolina Central University as an assistant director before moving to Mississippi Valley State University, where he served as director and later associate vice president of enrollment management. Edmonds holds a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Administration from Morris College and a Master of Science in Higher Education Administration, Summa Cum Laude, from North Carolina Central University. He is currently a doctoral candidate in the Executive Ph.D. in Urban Higher Education program at Jackson State University, where he is at the dissertation proposal stage under the guidance of his committee chair. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. (Lambda Epsilon Chapter) and is part of the Higher Education Leadership Foundation's Inspire Leadership Institute Sigma Cohort.