Deborah A. Northcross '73

2004-2009

Deborah A. Northcross, director of the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, has over 30 years of service in higher education, primarily in program and resource development, administration, student support services, and related managerial functions. During 18 years at Shelby State Community College, she served as Director of Development and Public Relations, Director of the Title III [Institutional Advancement] Program, and Assistant Director of Student Development. At the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Ms. Northcross directs a graduate school preparation program, funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

She has held leadership roles in the educational community at the state, regional and national levels: as a former president of the Tennessee Association of Special [TRIO] Programs and faculty for the Penn State University Training Institute. Ms. Northcross currently is Vice President of the Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel [SAEOPP] Board of Directors; SAEOPP representative for the national Council for Opportunity in Education Board of Directors; and faculty for the SAEOPP New Directors Training Workshops. She has also served as a grant reviewer of TRIO and Title III programs for the U.S. Department of Education since 1983.

In her local community, Ms. Northcross serves on the advisory councils of the Knowledge Is Power Program [KIPP] and the YWCA of Greater Memphis, and on the board of directors of the Memphis Child Advocacy Center. She is a trustee on the National Benevolent Association board.

Ms. Northcross received a Bachelors degree in French at Mount Holyoke College and a Master’s degree in Special Education from Memphis State University. She has served the Alumnae Association of Mount Holyoke College as class agent, reunion gift caller, chairperson and member of the Program Committee, Vice President and Director-at-Large of the Alumnae Association Board of Directors. She is currently class vice president. Ms. Northcross was a 2003 recipient of the Alumnae Medal of Honor. She was most recently a member of the College’s Campaign Steering Committee, for which she co-chaired the Legacy of Diversity Committee. Deborah was recently appointed to serve on the Presidential Commission on Diverse Community.