Administration of the Graduate Programs

The Dean of Graduate Studies is the Convener of the Graduate Council, made up of the Directors of Graduate Studies for all the Fisk graduate programs and critical staff members. The Council also may invite as ex officio any faculty members who serve as Principal Investigators on extramurally funded Programs that provide essential resources for student tuition and stipends.

Membership of the Graduate Council:

  • Bryan Wallace, Ed.D., Dean of Graduate Studies
  • Brian Nelms, PhD, DGS for Biology
  • Steven Damo, PhD, DGS for Chemistry
  • Duncan M. Pelly, PhD, DGS for Healthcare Management and Executive Leadership
  • Arnold Burger, PhD, DGS for Physics
  • Sheila Peters, PhD, DGS for Psychology
  • Tdka Kilimanjaro, PhD, DGS for Social Justice
  • Dina Myers Stroud, PhD, Exec. Dir. of the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD Bridge Program
  • Brandon Owens, PhD, Dean of John Hope & Aurelia Franklin Library

Ex officio, invited but attendance is optional

  • Shirley Brown, PhD, Dean of Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Brian Nelms, PhD, Dean of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science
  • Robert Z. Carr, PhD, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

The Council is responsible for the ongoing review and improvement of the component graduate programs and the development of trans-program professional skills development programs for the Graduate Students.