Dr. F. Erik Brooks - Provost, Central State University

Dr. F. Erik Brooks is the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Central State University. Prior to accepting this role at Ohio’s 1890 Land-Grant institution, Dr. Brooks was a Professor and Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Director of the Whitney Young Honors Collegium at Kentucky State University. He has been described as a renaissance man and a holistic academician, having served on both the academic and student affairs components of the academy.

He was formerly a Professor and the Associate Director of the Centennial Honors College at Western Illinois University. He was also formerly the Chair of the Department of African American Studies at Western Illinois University. Previously, he was also interim Director of the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center at Western Illinois University.

Prior to moving into administrative roles, he was an Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Georgia Southern University from 2002 to 2012. Also, while at Georgia Southern University, he served as the Director of the Master of Public Administration Program from 2004 to 2008, Interim Chair of the Department of Political Science, and an Assistant to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences from 2011 to 2012.

He has also held adjunct teaching positions at the University of Richmond from 2001 to 2002 and Alabama State University from 1992 to 1999. He also held mid-level administrative positions in student affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University from 1999 to 2002 and Alabama State University from 1992 to 1999.

Dr. Brooks is originally from Montgomery, Alabama and his educational background is wide-ranging. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2002. He holds three Masters’ degrees. He earned a Master of Science in Counseling and Human Development from Troy State University in 1992, a Master of Public Administration from Auburn University Montgomery in 1998, and a Master of Education from Alabama State University in 1999. Dr. Brooks earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and Art from Troy State University in 1989.

He has written extensively and produced scholarship in the areas of race, African American history, public administration, and American politics with his work appearing in scholarly journals, encyclopedias, academic guides, and books. Since 2006, he has authored or edited 14 books. Dr. Brooks is a member of several professional and social organizations. He proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. When not working, he enjoys watching sports and traveling to Civil Rights and Civil War museums.

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