Frances Lucas

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Dr. Frances Lucas (born 1957) is the current president of Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. The daughter of Aubrey Keith Lucas, a former president of Delta State University and later The University of Southern Mississippi (1, 2), Lucas grew up in Mississippi and graduated from Cleveland High School before obtaining her Master's from Mississippi State University and her PhD in higher education from the University of Alabama (3). She began her career at Mississippi State working in student affairs before moving on at age 29 to become the youngest Vice-President for Student Affairs and the first female Vice-President at Baldwin-Wallace College. Later, she served as Senior Vice-President for Campus Life at Emory University before being elected in January of 2000 to become the 10th president and first female president of Millsaps College (4). Taking office on July 1, 2000, Lucas has led such initiatives as the creation of the freshman campus, various campus improvement projects, and bringing the New Orleans Saints training camp to Millsaps in 2006. Frances Lucas is arguably best known for the Phoenix Plan. The result of this plan was eradicating fraternity life on Emory as the Greeks knew it. She attempted to implement this plan at Millsaps College, but it has come under great resistance from students and alumni alike. Currently Pi Kappa Alpha is the only fraternity at Millsaps College on the plan.

[edit] Awards

2003 - Mississippi's Business Woman of the Year, Mississippi Business Journal
2004 - Outstanding Mississippi Woman of the Year, Mississippi State University Women's Commission

[edit] References

1. Jones, Denise. "Millsaps chief makes return visit to city." The Bolivar Commercial. 21 September 2001.
2. Kalich, Tim. "Millsaps and Scooter a good fit." The Greenwood Commonwealth. 8 April 2001.
3. Kanengiser, Andy. "Millsaps installs 1st female leader." The Clarion-Ledger. 7 April 2001.
4. Millsaps College. "Dr. Frances Lucas." [1]. 16 August 2006.