Sherry Turner

Sherry Turner, President of Hartford International University, is the third woman and the first African American to lead the 191-year-old institution. Dr. Turner has extensive experience in higher education, most recently as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. 

Previously, Dr. Turner served as a higher education consultant and as the Director of Institutional Success and Support for UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building (ICB). She also served as the Executive Director and CEO of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Consortium. In the AUC position, Dr. Turner led joint strategic initiatives for Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse School of Medicine. She was a founder and director of the AUC’s Communiversity, a lifelong learning institute that connects colleges and communities. 

At Spelman College, Dr. Turner served as Vice President for Student Affairs and as the President's Chief of Staff. From 1990 to 2002, she worked at Mount Holyoke College as a faculty member, academic dean, and ombudsperson. 

Dr. Turner was raised and ordained in the Baptist church. Her experiences in ministry and the academy, particularly with diverse communities, sparked her passion to work in interfaith settings.

Background

• B.A. (Rhodes College, Memphis, TN)
• M.S. (North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC)
• M.T.S. (Emory University Candler School of Theology, Atlanta, GA)
• Ph.D. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Areas of Study

• Educational Psychology
• Women's Studies
• Black Church Studies