Dr. Alisa White is president and professor of mass communication at Sam Houston State University, located in Huntsville, Texas. Ranked the number one university in Texas in social mobility, Sam Houston State offers its nearly 22,000 students a transformative educational experience. Sam Houston State operates three campuses in Huntsville, Conroe, and The Woodlands, Texas, and has the only College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Texas.

 

White has taught at universities in five states and has served as department chair, dean, provost, and president. She serves on the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), teaches in AASCU’s New President’s Academy and Emerging Leaders Program, is past president of the Tennessee College Association, served as a director for the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, has twice served on the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Division I Presidential Forum, and serves as vice chair of Conference USA. She has been honored as a Trailblazer by the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

 

White’s leadership is characterized by her commitment to building strong teams, empowering leaders, and forging positive relationships with internal and external communities.

 

Sam Houston State University’s motto is “The measure of a life is its service,” and the University takes it to heart. The University’s Center for Community Engagement was the first recipient of the American Association of State Colleges and University’s We the People Award presented by the American Democracy Project.

 

Prior to joining Sam Houston State in 2020, White served as president of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN. Under Dr. White’s direction, Austin Peay set record enrollments and served as a partner and catalyst in downtown development and revitalization.