About Our Chancellor

Dr. Aubra J. Gantt is a distinguished higher-education leader, author, and administrator, serving as the first female Chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport (SUSLA). A proud native of Shreveport, Louisiana, and an alumna of SUSLA, she is widely recognized as one of the highest-ranking female leaders in higher education in the State of Louisiana. With more than 25 years of progressive leadership experience spanning state government, academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment management, and clinical behavioral and mental health, Dr. Gantt brings a profound commitment to advancing the community college mission and expanding opportunities for student populations.

 

At SUSLA, Chancellor Gantt has ignited a transformative era, leading the development of the university’s bold five-year strategic plan, Reimagine SUSLA 2030, designed as a roadmap for increasing enrollment, enhancing academic programs, and improving institutional performance. Under her visionary leadership, the university has achieved a significant 7% fall-to-fall enrollment increase, markedly improved student retention rates, and celebrated the largest graduating class in more than a decade. She is committed to strengthening workforce development, expanding educational access, and building strategic partnerships that advance student success and economic opportunity across the communities served by Southern University at Shreveport.

 

Prior to her appointment as Chancellor, Dr. Gantt served as the Founding Vice President for Academic Outreach and Student Success at Tarrant County College’s Connect Campus in Fort Worth, Texas, where she played a pivotal role in advancing student success initiatives. In this comprehensive role, she served as the chief student services officer, leading strategic student planning for eLearning and Weekend College programs that served approximately 20,000 students each semester. Her leadership extended to the Intercultural Student Engagement and Academic Success Center, notably launching the Men of Color Collaborative Network to enhance student success among underrepresented male students. She successfully chartered the first and only Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) virtual chapter in Texas and the Southwest Region. Dr. Gantt's extensive responsibilities included overseeing a significant student affairs budget of $1 million and supervising a staff of approximately 30 individuals. She made history as the first African American registrar in the history of the Tarrant County College District, where she dedicated 13 years to critical enrollment management functions, including the training of new registrars at state conferences. Before her tenure at Tarrant County College, Dr. Gantt held the position of Dean of Enrollment Management at Scottsdale Community College in the Maricopa Community College District, one of the largest community college systems in the United States.

 

Earlier in her career, Dr. Gantt served in several impactful roles at Southern University at Shreveport, including Educational Talent Search Counselor within the TRiO programs. In this capacity, she mentored and advised at-risk youth, developed and implemented programs for non-traditional students, and successfully helped secure more than $1 million in federal grant funding to support program expansion, leading to her promotion to program director. Dr. Gantt also brings professional experience in behavioral and mental health, having served as a clinician in Phoenix, Arizona, which further informs her commitment to supporting student wellness and success. She has 15 years of college teaching and counseling experience as an adjunct instructor with Tarrant County College, Tarleton State University, and Grand Canyon University.

 

Dr. Gantt is also an accomplished author and scholar. Her book, Graduation Rates: Strategies for Improving Community College Student Success, highlights innovative approaches to improving student outcomes and completion rates in community colleges. She has received numerous awards for her work in student and academic affairs, consistently demonstrating a proven commitment to serving and engaging non-traditional and underrepresented students.

 

Dr. Gantt earned her Bachelor of Liberal Studies from Southern University and A&M College, a Master of Social Work from Southern University at New Orleans, and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of North Texas. Through her visionary leadership, scholarship, and unwavering commitment to educational excellence, Dr. Gantt continues to champion innovation, student achievement, and institutional growth across the region and beyond.