Dr. Camilla Gant works closely with Douglas County school district, college, and business partners to build and bridge program pathways that serve high-demand, regional workforce needs.  Since being tapped Fall 2018 to lead the University of West Georgia Douglasville, Dr. Gant has implemented articulation agreements to reduce time and cost for students to complete signature degree programs, and facilitates collaborative recruitment, retention, and promotion initiatives to bolster student enrollment, including a 129% increase in Douglas County dual enrollment.

Previously, Dr. Gant served as program director (2007 - 2011) and department chair (2011-2018) of Mass Communications.  Under her visionary leadership, the Mass Communications team achieved an admirable record of accomplishments, including the University System of Georgia (USG) Regents Teaching Excellence Award (2016); a successful Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) pre-visit; and 100% tenure and promotion success rate.

Dr. Gant’s collaborative and diplomatic leadership was also key to the program achieving record increases in tenure-track and staff lines, scholastic honors, and funding to support experiential learning and technology. As the first female and African American to earn tenure and rank of full professor of Mass Communications at UWG, Dr. Gant was intentional in hiring and mentoring a diverse faculty and staff which ACEJMC leadership lauded as “enviable.”

Beyond UWG, Dr. Gant has published in reputable journals and presented at national and international conferences in her discipline.  She has also led the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Minorities & Communication Division, and is an alum of USG Executive Leadership Institute, Kennesaw State University Executive Leadership for Women in Higher Education, and Journalism and Mass Communication Leadership Institute for Diversity.