Dr. Jessica Brown has been named assistant vice president for student leadership and engagement at Alabama A&M University, stepping into a newly created leadership role focused on strengthening the student experience through engagement, leadership development and campus programming.
Brown officially began the position Feb. 1, 2026. She was appointed by Dr. Braque Talley, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment
Management.
“I am very thankful for this new opportunity,” Brown aid. “It means that my commitment to providing a great student experience has been
evident through my work.”
Brown joined Alabama A&M in February 2023 as director of Student Activities and Leadership Development. Prior to arriving at AAMU, she
spent seven years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, serving as coordinator of Student Activities and later assistant director of Student Activities. She also worked as a community director at the University of South Alabama.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stillman College, a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of
South Alabama and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Southern Mississippi.
The Alabama A&M University Board of Trustees approved the assistant vice president position in June 2025 as part of an expanded
vision for student engagement and leadership development.
In her new role, Brown provides strategic leadershipnd oversight for student engagement and leadership initiatives across campus. Her
portfolio includes student organizations, leadership development, international student support, fraternity and sorority life, and major cam-
pus traditions such as Home-coming, Spring Week and the Bulldog Welcome Experience.
The department has also been reorganized under her leadership into three primary areas: Greek Life and Student Governance, International Student Support and Engagement, and Campus Programs. The expanded structure supports initiatives including
first-generation student programming, student publications, the AAMU Royal Court, the Student Government Association, family engage-
ment, the Career Closet, the Student Emergency Fund, student organization management and compliance, and student center operations.
Since joining the University, Brown has helped expand engagement opportunities and leadership development programs across campus.
When she first arrived, the office consisted of a director, an administrative assistant and a part-time Royal Court adviser. The department has since grown to include additional professional staff and expanded programming.