Northeastern Illinois University Board of Trustees Selects Dr. Katrina E. Bell-Jordan as University President

The announcement follows an inclusive year-long national search focused on the University's renewed commitment to its mission with an eye toward the future. 

CHICAGO, July 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Northeastern Illinois University Board of Trustees announces the selection of Dr. Katrina E. Bell-Jordan as the University's eighth president.

For the past year, Dr. Bell-Jordan has served as Interim President at NEIU, a public university that stands out in Chicago's higher education landscape for its inclusion of full-time, transfer, non-traditional, graduate, and international students.

"During her time as interim president, Dr. Bell-Jordan has proven to be a leader whose consensus-building, growth-oriented, fiscally-responsible style will continue to unite the NEIU community and propel us forward," Chair of the NEIU Board of Trustees J. Todd Phillips said. "The Board sees NEIU as the region's destination of choice for higher ed students, faculty and staff from all walks of life. The vision, inclusive approach, and steady hand that Dr. Bell-Jordan brings to the President's Office reinforces our unwavering commitment to the excellence NEIU students deserve."

The selection of Dr. Bell-Jordan as NEIU President follows a thorough year-long national search that included feedback and participation from Board members, faculty, students, and other NEIU stakeholders.

"NEIU is about to embark on a renaissance that stands firmly on its roots, and Dr. Bell-Jordan is the right leader to move NEIU from the shadows as we claim our space as the premier university for Latino/a/x students and nontraditional students," Vice Chair of the NEIU Board of Trustees Michelle Morales said. "Dr. Bell-Jordan's leadership affirms NEIU's commitment to social justice and its legacy as the longest federally-recognized, four-year Hispanic Serving Institution in the Midwest."

Dr. Bell-Jordan's new role will take effect August 1, 2024, and her appointment will be confirmed at an upcoming Special Meeting of the NEIU Board of Trustees. Her journey at Northeastern Illinois University began in 1997 when she joined as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre (CMT). She has since held various leadership roles, including serving as CMT Department Chair, Associate Dean in NEIU's College of Arts and Sciences, and Interim Dean. She was appointed Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in March 2020 and took on the role of Interim President on July 1, 2023.

"As I begin my term as Northeastern Illinois University's eighth President, I am filled with gratitude and admiration for this incredible institution and for the diverse community of students we serve," Dr. Bell-Jordan said. "After nearly 27 years at Northeastern, I am proud to support its mission as an Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority-Serving Institution, and I am honored to have the opportunity to lead as President. I am eager to collaborate with the University community to plan our future and showcase the impact and spirit of NEIU—our adaptability, resilience, and unwavering commitment to access, excellence, and the success of our students."

During her time as Interim President, Dr. Bell-Jordan recruited several exceptional leaders to key positions to help situate the University for success, managed in a fiscally-responsible way, and implemented changes to retain and grow the NEIU student body and modernize the campus.

Dr. Bell-Jordan earned a Ph.D. in Rhetorical Studies and Media Studies and a M.A. in Rhetorical Studies at the Ohio University School of Interpersonal Communication. She earned a B.S.J. in News Editorial Journalism from the Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.

Her teaching background includes media literacy and media theory, rhetorical theory and criticism, and news writing/journalism. Her research has focused on critical media studies, including the politics of gender, race, and representation in the media, the rhetoric of popular culture, and news culture.

Dr. Bell-Jordan has served in leadership roles on various advisory, curriculum, and hiring committees at NEIU, including serving on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Team for NEIU's 2017 accreditation visit, the NEIU Baccalaureate Goals Working Group, and NEIU's first Writing Intensive Faculty Advisory Committee (WI-FAC) as Co-Chair. She also co-led the two-year (2015-2017) NEIU Economic Inequality Initiative, a partnership between the College of Arts and Sciences and the NEIU Division of Student Affairs.

She is an elected member of the Board of Education for Skokie, Illinois District 68, where she has served four terms since 2011 and is currently Board Vice President. She is also a member of the Alumni Advisory Council of the School of Communication Studies at Ohio University.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Bell-Jordan appreciates the support of her husband and son and enjoys travel and culinary experiences, vintage bookstores, trivia, and movies.

ABOUT NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

Northeastern Illinois University offers more than 40 undergraduate degree and certificate programs and more than 50 graduate degree, certificate, licensure and endorsement programs. The Main Campus is located on 67 acres in an attractive residential area on the Northwest Side of Chicago. Founded in 1867, Northeastern is a Minority-Serving Institution and the longest-standing four-year public Hispanic-Serving Institution in the Midwest. The University has additional Chicagoland locations, including the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, El Centro, and the University Center of Lake County.

SOURCE NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY