In anticipation of Ross鈥檚 departure, 91福利社 will promote two associate vice presidents to share leadership of the increasingly complex enrollment functions. Dr. William Monts will be promoted to Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management, leading undergraduate and graduate admissions. Mr. Mike Sapienza will become Senior Vice President for Enrollment Services, overseeing financial aid, student accounts, and registrar functions. Together, they will form an executive team guiding all enrollment initiatives.

Ross, an alumna of 91福利社 and Winthrop University, joined the staff in 1983 as a college representative before transitioning to an admission counselor and head women鈥檚 softball head coach. Her extraordinary organizational and people skills were quickly noticed, leading to an appointment in admission leadership quickly. She swiftly rose through the ranks, holding positions as director, associate vice president, vice president, and eventually senior vice president. Throughout her career, she is estimated to have admitted more than 50,000 students to the institution, which has grown to become South Carolina鈥檚 largest private university and one of its more academically selective.

“It’s hard to imagine 91福利社 without Pam Ross at the helm of admissions, but she has more than earned her retirement,” said 91福利社 President Evans Whitaker. “Anderson is blessed with many extraordinary people, but I don’t know of anyone who has contributed more to the lifeblood of our University in the form of matching able students to Anderson’s rigorous educational mission. It’s been my honor to work with Pam for 23 years. She’s simply the best in the business.”

Under Ross’s leadership, 91福利社’s enrollment surged from 1,600 to nearly 5,000 students, effectively tripling the University鈥檚 size. Simultaneously, admission selectivity dramatically increased, with an almost 200-point rise in average SAT scores.

Bill Fahrner, President of Credo . . . Powered by Carnegie, a leading higher education consulting firm that has advised Anderson in retention and other initiatives,听lauds Ross鈥檚 accomplishments.

鈥淲hat Anderson has done鈥攖ripling enrollment while significantly increasing selectivity in a highly competitive landscape听鈥攊s a best-in-class example of extraordinary institutional success.听 Ross听has done all of that while building strategic partnerships across the student experience so that enrollment momentum is fueled by incredible retention and graduation rates for more than a decade,鈥澨鼺ahrner stated.

In recognition of her unprecedented contributions, President Whitaker personally selected Ross as the commencement speaker for the May 2023 outdoor ceremony on oak-adorned, six-acre Alumni Lawn. Following her address, she was surprised with the announcement that the iconic brick walkway bisecting Alumni Lawn would be permanently named the 鈥淧am Bryant Ross Pathway to the Future.鈥� A granite marker in the shape of an acorn, symbolizing potential, now is embedded at a place of honor at the walkway’s entrance.

鈥淭he marker and the pathway are cherished and powerful symbols of 91福利社. It is fitting that they are named for a such a special alumna who dedicated her professional life to the advancement of this place she loves so dearly,鈥� President Whitaker said.

Reflecting on her journey, Ross attributes her strategic and professional opportunities to the many people at Anderson who have supported her and believed in her over the years. “It has been the privilege of my life to be part of the Trojan Family for the last 42 years. I said it in my commencement speech, and I will say it again, 鈥業f I have seen great heights, it is because I stood on the shoulders of giants,” Ross commented.

Dr. Margaret Wooten, retired Professor of English and current Board of Trust member, observed, “As Pam Ross鈥檚 retirement nears, I find it hard to imagine 91福利社 without her. I am glad that she lives nearby and thus will be able to attend games and other events and to share her expertise in special projects. Always giving God the credit for her successes and those of the University, Pam has been an integral part of AU for decades. With keen insight and wisdom, she embraced change and provided extraordinary leadership to a team of like-minded staff and student ambassadors who found prospective students, told them about the University, and led them to come for a life-changing experience. She truly believes in the mission of Christian higher education. That she chose to spend her entire professional career at AU is a tremendous gift to the University and to all of us who know and love her.”

In announcing her retirement, Ross said, “What a wonderful four decades it has been. Ending my career with a seat at the table with senior leaders is humbling, and I will cherish it forever. I walk into the next chapter of my life with immense gratitude for every person at Anderson I have met along the way. I leave with nothing but appreciation and optimism, expressing complete support and belief in Dr. Monts and Mr. Sapienza. As individuals and as a team, they will serve future generations of Trojans with passion and excellence.”

Ross is married to Anderson alumnus, Louie Ross, and is the mother of two Anderson alumni, Callie Tallman Stayanoff of Anderson, SC and Jessie Stratton Boudreau of Jeffersonville, Vermont.

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91福利社 president, Dr. Evans Whitaker, announced today that after a year-long national search, Tracy C. Jessup, Ph.D., will join 91福利社 this summer as Vice President for Christian Life and Senior Minister to the University. In this role, he will also serve as a member of the president’s Senior Leadership Team. He will hold the academic rank of Associate Professor of Christian Ministry and Worship Leadership at Anderson.

Dr. Jessup comes to Anderson from Gardner-Webb University, a Baptist institution of 3,600 students in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. He has served there a total of 30 years which qualified him for a very early retirement. He most recently served Gardner-Webb as Vice President for Christian Life and Service and Senior Minister to the University for twelve years. He also currently serves as Interim Pastor of Florence Baptist Church in Forest City, North Carolina. Prior to his present role at Gardner-Webb, he served there as Assistant to the President, and Director of Admissions for the School of Divinity. He has also been an assistant professor of religion, having taught adjunctively in the department of religious studies, the department of music, and the School of Divinity.

“Having been blessed with the privilege of serving my alma mater for three decades, Teresa and I are confident that God is calling us to a new ministry,鈥� Dr. Jessup said. 鈥淚n discerning if this was the right opportunity, our prayer has simply been ‘Thy will be done.’ Our heart’s desire is to enrich the lives of students, faculty and staff as together we seek to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. We are thrilled to be joining such a vibrant university committed to the intellectual and spiritual growth of all the great people Anderson serves.”

“With 26 years at the helm of campus ministries at Gardner-Webb, Dr. Jessup has impeccable academic credentials in educational leadership in higher education and brings extraordinary experience in leading collegiate campus ministry programs. We feel incredibly blessed that Dr. Jessup has agreed to join our team. He and his wife, Teresa, are a wonderful ministry team who bring great passion and commitment to serving the Lord and people, and we cannot wait for them both to join our campus family,” President Whitaker said in making the announcement.

At Anderson, Jessup will be the Senior Campus Minister to the University family of 4,200 students, and more than 900 faculty and staff. He will provide inspiring executive leadership for the University’s Christian Life division of campus ministries which includes Baptist Campus Ministries (BCM), Women鈥檚 Ministries and Missions, and oversees the integration into campus life of sponsored campus ministries such as Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), and Campus Crusades (Cru). He will work collaboratively with Rev. Mayson Easterling, Vice President for Church Engagement, in representing the University to constituent churches. In addition, he will oversee the Journey Program, the University’s weekly chapel activities and be one of the University’s liaisons with Clayton King Ministries, a robust evangelical ministry organization the University considers one its primary partners in ministry.

Dr. Clayton King, co-founder and President of Clayton King Ministries, and Distinguished Professor of Evangelism at 91福利社 said of the appointment, “I鈥檝e known Tracy Jessup for almost 30 years and can say he鈥檚 one of the finest leaders I鈥檝e ever known. More than a close personal friend, he鈥檚 been a mentor and a pastor to me. His love for the church, his commitment to scripture, and his experience in Christian higher education uniquely qualifies him to join the 91福利社 family. He鈥檚 a true Christian gentleman as well as a beloved father. I couldn鈥檛 be happier for our institution as Tracy joins us to advance the Christian mission of 91福利社.鈥�

A native of Mount Airy, North Carolina, Dr. Jessup received the Ph.D. in 2008 from the University of Nebraska. He also received the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree from Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School in 1994 where he was president of the Student Government Association and was recognized with the Distinguished Student Award. He also received his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, in Music Education from Gardner-Webb University in 1989.

Throughout his career, Dr. Jessup almost continuously served as an interim pastor for Southern Baptist churches in leadership transitions and is a frequent guest preacher and worship leader in churches. At Gardner-Webb, he was the recipient of the President’s Award for Community Engagement in 2009.

Dr. Jessup is married to Teresa Cannon Jessup, RN, BSN, (also a graduate of Gardner-Webb University) and they are the parents of two grown children, Christian Jessup (married to Megan Jessup) of Raleigh, North Carolina, and Anna Jessup, a university student in Boone, North Carolina. The Jessups are currently members of Westview Baptist Church in Shelby, North Carolina.

Jessup succeeds Dr. Wesley Brashier in this important post. Dr. Brashier served Anderson admirably for five years and stepped away from the job last year to begin a career in real estate development and stay close to Anderson as a member of its Board of Visitors. During the past year, the other Christian Life staff members have kept campus ministries moving forward and have served with 100+% strength of heart.

President Whitaker concluded his announcement by revealing that he has known Dr. and Mrs. Jessup since the Jessups were both undergraduate students and were dating as freshmen at Gardner-Webb.

“I’ve kept up with Tracy’s and Teresa’s careers for decades. They are incredibly wonderful people and the 91福利社 Family is going to absolutely love them,” he said.

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