Dr. Anthony Graham is the Chancellor-Elect at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He previously served as Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs (2018–2023) and interim Chancellor (2023–2024) at Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Prior to these roles, Dr. Graham was a tenured Full Professor and Dean of the College of Education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina.
A graduate of Kinston High School, Dr. Graham earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in mathematics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1997. He obtained a master’s degree in Secondary English Education (1999) and a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Teaching with a cognate in Multicultural Education (2003) both from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Before entering higher education, Dr. Graham began his career as a high school English teacher in Greensboro.
As a scholar, Dr. Graham explores the academic experiences of Black male students and the construction of their academic and ethnic identities across K-20 educational environments. His research also examines effective pedagogical approaches for engaging Black male learners; moreover, his research investigates the sociocultural and sociopolitical experiences of Black male K-12 teachers in public schools. Dr. Graham has published extensively in the field, including book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, and a co-authored book. He also served as managing editor of The Negro Educational Review, one of the nation’s historic peer-reviewed academic journals.
Dr. Graham has secured approximately $25 million in grant funding to support educational initiatives. These funds have enabled him to collaborate with educators and scholars to design programs aimed at increasing the number of classroom teachers, particularly teachers of color who serve in under-resourced rural and urban schools. His funded programs include: Central Carolina Innovation Corps (iCorps) Program funded by the National Science Foundation, the Winston-Salem State University Adult Connections and Continuing Education Student Success (ACCESS) Program funded by the Lumina Foundation, North Carolina A&T Rural Teaching Fellows Program funded by the United States Department of Education, the North Carolina A&Teach STEM Scholars Program, funded by the National Science Foundation, the Winston-Salem Teacher Residency and the North Carolina A&T Teacher Residency funded by the United States Department of Education. Additionally, Dr. Graham has led numerous initiatives to improve college access and success for students of color. These initiatives include the Brother-2-Brother Mentoring Program, the Lunch with the Kings Program for Elementary Black Boys, the Charles Hamilton Houston Summer Leadership Institute for Adolescent African American Boys, and the Scholarship Search and College Admission Conference for Minority Students.
Dr. Graham’s commitment to the uplift of his community and to the improvement of K-20 education has been demonstrated in his service to civic and professional organizations. Dr. Graham chaired former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s DRIVE (Developing a Representative and Inclusive Vision for Education) Task Force and co-chaired the University of North Carolina System Educator Preparation Advisory Group. He also served on several boards and commissions, including those for Deans For Impact, Senior Services Incorporated, Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina, the North Carolina Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission (PEPSC), and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity among others.
Dr. Graham has been recognized for his leadership and service. In 2023, he received North Carolina State University’s Leadership Institute for Future Teachers (LIFT) Innovators Award. Previously, he was named one of the Piedmont Triad Business Journal’s 40 Leaders Under 40 (2014), and he received the Sarah Herbin Award from the Black Child Development Institute–Greensboro. He was also honored as a Young Leader on the Move by the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Incorporated and he was named one of the Top Young Executives and Professionals in the U.S. by Empire Corporation.
A sought-after motivational speaker, Dr. Graham frequently shares his message of optimism, collective efficacy, critical consciousness, servant leadership, and social activism. He has delivered keynote addresses at international and national conferences, university Founder’s Day Convocations, and commencements for universities, community colleges, and high schools.