Reginald Ellis

Dr. Reginald K. Ellis is Dean of Graduate Education at Clark Atlanta University. He is a scholar, academic leader, and nationally recognized advocate for graduate education with over 17 years of experience in advancing access, equity, and excellence in higher education.

Dr. Ellis earned a Bachelor of Science in African American Studies and a Master’s in United States History Since 1865 from Florida A&M University (FAMU), before completing his Ph.D. in United States History at the University of Memphis. His scholarship centers on the history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and African American leadership during the Jim Crow era. He is the author of three refereed books, including Between Washington and Du Bois: The Racial Politics of James Edward Shepard (2018), an analytical biography of the founding president of North Carolina Central University. His most recent book, Black Education Equal Black Freedom: A Defense of Black Higher Education is under contract with W. W. Norton Press.

Since 2008, Dr. Ellis has worked extensively in the HBCU higher education space, beginning at Florida A&M University. His deep commitment to student success and faculty engagement led to his appointment as Assistant Dean in the School of Graduate Studies, Research, and Continuing Education in 2017, where he managed a graduate student body of 1,800 and an initial $2.5 million budget. In this role, he also directed the Graduate Feeder Scholars Program, founded in 1987, which is regarded as a flagship national pipeline program for preparing minority students for graduate and post-graduate study.

In 2021, Dr. Ellis was appointed Interim Dean of Graduate Education at FAMU. Under his leadership, he collaborated with the School of Nursing to transition its Master of Nursing program online, ensuring that academic rigor and student engagement remained on par with in-person learning. This work required coordination with the registrar, graduate council, and instructional technology office to streamline enrollment, strengthen curriculum oversight, and provide robust student support.

Dr. Ellis also played a pivotal role in shaping FAMU’s 2022 Strategic Plan, advocating for standards that advanced graduate education, including the development of new doctoral programs aligned with workforce and research demands and the creation of a graduate life center to foster belonging and engagement. His efforts contributed to FAMU’s long-term goal of achieving Carnegie R1 status by 2030.

Nationally, Dr. Ellis is an active leader in the graduate education community. He is a longtime member of the Council of Graduate Schools, Council of Southern Graduate Schools, Council of Florida Graduate Schools, and previously served as Secretary of the Council of Historically Black Graduate Schools. His peers regard him as a thought leader in shaping policies and practices that expand graduate education access and opportunity.

Dr. Ellis is married to Delexis C. Ellis, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters, Eva Janelle and Raila Kamille.