Dr. Albert Mosley became the 13th President of Morningside University on July 1, 2022.
Dr. Albert Mosley commenced service as the 13th president of Morningside University on July 1, 2022. Since his arrival at Morningside in July of 2022, Dr. Mosley has led the university in the launching of its School of Aviation, with program offerings in aviation and aviation management, and the construction of a state-of-the-art aviation facility fully equipped with flight simulators and modern hangers for the university’s fleet of planes. Additionally, under his leadership, the university has introduced several other cutting-edge academic programs, including cybersecurity, supply chain management, public health, acute care nursing, biomedical sciences, nutrition, exercise science, and an online MBA program. Dr. Mosley has also debuted a rapid strategy plan (One Morningside) designed to leverage market demands and enable the institution to quickly respond to the ever-evolving higher education landscape. With Dr. Mosley at the helm, the university recently received an excellent bill of health from its accrediting body and has experienced significant growth in enrollment, retention, and overall student achievement. The recent announcements of several transformative gifts to the university’s endowment and for the school of business have ushered in a new era of excitement among faculty, staff, students, alums and friends.
He previously served as the senior vice president & chief mission integration officer for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (MLH) in Memphis, Tenn. As part of the executive leadership team at MLH, a nonprofit, comprehensive, six-hospital healthcare system with 13,000 employees, Mosley provided strategic visioning and leadership to a division with more than 450 employees and a budget in excess of $50 million. That division included the Methodist Healthcare Foundation (fundraising and grants management for medical research, service-line development, capital projects, and endowment growth); Methodist Le Bonheur Community Outreach (Social Determinants of Health, Chronic Disease Self-Management, Nurse-Family Partnership, School Health and School-Based Programs, etc.); Behavioral Health (including Employee Assistance Program); Corporate Contributions/Strategic Philanthropy; Center for Bioethics and Health Equity; the Center of Excellence in Faith & Health Equity; International Ministries; Volunteer Services; Spiritual Care; and Clinical Pastoral Education.
Humble Beginnings
Mosley is a first-generation college graduate and first-generation professional who was born and raised in the rural, east-central Mississippi community of Shuqualak. The 500 people in that community consisted mostly of Mosley’s family and extended family, whom he credits for instilling in him a belief that he could accomplish anything.
From that rural community, Mosley went on to earn degrees from Millsaps College, Duke University, Yale University, and the University of Georgia. He has also received a number of honors and awards over the course of his life and career, including being named the recipient of the Duke University William J. Griffith University Service Award, receiving a special citation for Excellence in Community Leadership from the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and being honored with the Richard Hernandez Religious Leadership Award given by the Northwest Interfaith Movement in Philadelphia, Pa.
Entrepreneurial Spirit
Mosley is known in higher education and nonprofit settings for his entrepreneurial spirit, administrative acumen, and demonstrated ability to lead through seasons of significant change.
At Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, Mosley launched several transformational, community-based initiatives. He led a large-scale partnership with the Shelby County School System in Memphis, Tenn., designed to increase literacy rates. That partnership was recently awarded a $6 million grant by the Tennessee Department of Education to expand to all public elementary schools in the county. He has also helped lead the Methodist Healthcare Foundation and Methodist Le Bonheur Community Outreach to garner more than $80 million in grants and philanthropy. These funds have helped serve underserved populations and food-insecure patients since the start of the pandemic and have also helped increase access for mental and behavioral health.
While serving as the executive vice president and chief operating officer for Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla., Mosley was responsible for the overall direction and coordination of five university divisions and the vice presidents leading each area. He also led the assessment, revision, and implementation of Bethune-Cookman’s strategic and long-term plan and helped the institution earn several significant grants.
At Johns Hopkins University and Duke University, Mosley served in student affairs roles that helped him develop a reputation for his commitment to advancing robust connections between the campus and local community.
One of Mosley’s crowning achievements as a transformational leader, though, occurred during his six years as president of Gammon Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Ga. There, he was able to retire all the institution’s debt and increase the endowment by nearly 75 percent. He also helped Gammon achieve historic enrollment numbers and establish new and innovative certificate programs.
Servant Leader
Mosley is a dedicated leader who has served in many distinguished national and international organizations and leadership roles. He currently serves on the board of directors for Leadership Memphis and as the chair of Volunteer Memphis. He is a board member for the Tennessee Hospital Association and serves as the chair of its Council on Inclusion and Health Equity. Additionally, in 2019, Mosley was appointed to a four-year term on the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct by the Tennessee Speaker of the House.
In higher education, Mosley is a member of the Board of Trustees and chair of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee for LeMoyne-Owen College. He is part of the Board of Trustees for Martin Methodist College; he is a board member, treasurer, and chair of the Finance Committee for Africa University in Old Mutare, Zimbabwe; and he is vice chair of the University Senate of the United Methodist Church. Mosley also frequently travels and lectures across the country and around the world on transformational leadership and change management.
Greatest Source of Inspiration
Of his many credentials, accomplishments, and achievements, Mosley points to his family as his greatest source of inspiration. He is married to Dr. Syreeta McTavous-Mosley, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., who is a dentist by profession. Dr. McTavous-Mosley is a graduate of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and Howard University College of Dentistry. The Mosleys are proud parents of four children.
