ABOUT THE PRESIDENT

Since his tenure began on October 3, 2017, Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., has served with distinction as the 15th President of his alma mater, Alabama State University. Dr. Ross assumed the helm of the University with a vision of growth and innovation and has been the driving force behind bold new initiatives and partnerships under his guiding mantra of “Moving ASU 150 years forward.”
Dr. Ross has set a new standard for fundraising at ASU. Under his leadership, fundraising at the institution has increased by nearly 130 percent with more than $7.6 million raised over a two-year period through corporate and individual donations, as well as increased legislative appropriations.

Dr. Ross has led the charge for development and constituent relations, and under his self-styled brand called CommUniversity, ASU has forged new partnerships and re-energized existing relations with international, federal, state and local stakeholders. He also has established a positive and open line of communication with local and statewide media. He also has been engaged by national media as an expert on the future of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), thereby allowing for an elevation of the University’s brand. Dr. Ross’s growing prominence as an educational leader was recognized in November 2019 with his election as vice-chairman of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education’s Council of Presidents. The Council consists of the presidents of each public four-year institution of higher education in the state of Alabama, as well as the State Superintendent of Education and the presidents of three public two-year institutions of higher education.  

Dr. Ross is a distinguished career educator with more than 25 years of experience in Higher and K-12 public education. For more than a decade, Dr. Ross served as the Director of Adult Education at H. Councill Trenholm State Community College. He later became a manager of UniServ Organizing/Staff Consultant to Higher Education for the Alabama Education Association. Preceding his work in higher education, Dr. Ross held various leadership positions in the Montgomery Public School system: he was a classroom teacher, administrative assistant, assistant principal and a high school principal. Additionally, he served as a central office Educational Specialist. Dr. Ross has made it his mission to be a community advocate for public education and to help young people “grasp the light of knowledge through embracing diversity.”

Prior to becoming President of his alma mater, he had begun his fourth term in the Alabama State Senate after having been elected to his first term in 2002. While serving in the Senate, Dr. Ross distinguished himself as a true statesman and was one of seven African Americans serving in the Alabama State Senate. In 2015, he was elected as the first African-American male Senate Minority Leader and the first Minority Leader elected to a four-year term. During his service, Dr. Ross was an established legislative leader and an unwavering advocate for public education, as well as issues dealing with child safety and the general welfare of all Alabamians. Throughout his legislative tenure, Dr. Ross served on numerous committees, including Bank and Insurance, Confirmation, County and Municipal Government, Transportation and Energy, Military Affairs and the powerful Finance and Taxation Education Committee. He also was Vice-Chair of the Education Youth Affairs Committee.

Before becoming an educator or being elected to office, Dr. Ross was a Statewide Field Representative for the Alabama Democratic Party and the Alabama Democratic Conference for a number of years and has held key positions in numerous political campaigns. He also served as Co-Chair of the State Advisory Committee for President Barack Obama’s first election.

Dr. Ross has received numerous awards and recognitions and has been featured in many publications, particularly because of his commitment to equity and quality in education. Dr. Ross received The Montgomery Advertiser King Spirit Award, K.E.E.P. Production’s Young Legend Award and the Daring to Make a Difference Community Service Award. Dr. Ross received the Alabama School Board Association’s Power of One Award (2009) and recognition by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., locally, statewide and districtwide as Citizen of the Year (2011). Other awards include the Alabama Adult Education Director’s Association 2012 Champion Award, 2015 Citizen of the Year for the Montgomery Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta and the 2016 Beloved Community Award from the Alabama State University Friends of the Theatre. Dr. Ross also was selected by the Business Council of Alabama as a 2017 Business Champion. He is the recipient of the 2020 Charles Townsel Higher Education Leader Award.

Dr. Ross is a three-time graduate of Alabama State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science in 1992, a Master of Arts degree in Education Secondary Education  English in 1995, and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership, Policy and Law in 2010.

Dr. Ross holds professional memberships in several organizations, such as the Alabama Council of Presidents, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, National Education Association, National Council of Higher Education, Alabama Education Association, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and 100 Black Men, Inc. His most notable accomplishment is being a loving husband and father of two sons.