Mesia Steed, WSSU biology department chair, appointed Provost Fellow for Faculty Affairs

The Winston-Salem State University Office of the Provost has named Dr. Mesia Moore Steed, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, as Provost Fellow for Faculty Affairs. The announcement was made March 5.

In this role, Steed will support strategic initiatives that advance the goals of the Faculty Affairs Office and enhance faculty success and development.

“Dr. Steed brings a wealth of experience and leadership to this role. She has shown exceptional service as department chair, former Faculty Senate chair, and as a member of the UNC Executive Leadership Cohort 2,” said Dr. Michael McKenzie, interim provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “Her expertise, innovation, and dedication to service align perfectly with the university’s mission to support faculty, staff and students.”

Steed will work alongside the provost and Faculty Affairs Office on important initiatives through August, concentrating on the following:

• Faculty recruitment, development and retention – implementing strategies to attract, onboard and retain faculty while fostering long-term success and well-being.
• Faculty Development Programs – leading initiatives that promote faculty professional and leadership growth.
• Administrative and Workflow Management – improving faculty workflow processes for enhanced efficiency and clarity.

“Dr. Steed’s expertise will be essential in these efforts, and we are confident that her contributions will leave a lasting impact on our academic community,” McKenzie said.

Steed earned her doctorate in physiology and biophysics from the University of Louisville, Kentucky. She conducted postdoctoral research at Wake Forest University in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and the Hypertension and Vascular Research Center. She also has extensive interest in K-12 outreach.

Her research focuses on how certain enzymes affect blood vessel changes in diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes.

McKenzie also named Dr. Fenghai Guo, professor of organic chemistry, as Provost Fellow for Research & Sponsored Programs, on March 5.