Empowering Students. Building Leaders.
Dr. Franklin L. Pressley is an accomplished higher education leader with more than a decade of experience in student affairs, organizational management, and administrative support.
He currently serves as Director of Student Life & Leadership at South Carolina State University, where he directs and monitors the planning and implementation of programs that enhance students’ social, cultural, intellectual, and leadership development. In this role, he oversees more than 150 student organizations and advises key groups including the Student Government Association, Campus Activities Board, Greek Life Council, and Royal Court. He is also responsible for coordinating major institutional events such as Homecoming, Founders’ Day, Coronation, Community Youth Day, and Commencement, impacting more than 3,500 students and campus stakeholders each year.
In addition to his leadership in student programming, Dr. Pressley was elected President of the University Staff Senate, where he serves in an advisory capacity to the university president and as an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees. His leadership emphasizes accountability, collaboration, and advancing the quality of campus life.
Before assuming his current role, Dr. Pressley served as Executive Coordinator of Student Activities at SC State, where he expanded student engagement initiatives, and earlier as Office Manager and Greek Life Coordinator, overseeing compliance, membership intake processes, and event approvals for fraternities and sororities. He also worked as a Program Assistant at Denmark Technical College, providing academic affairs support, budget management, and program coordination. His career in higher education began as an undergraduate assistant in SC State’s Department of English and Modern Languages.
Dr. Pressley is a member of several professional and service organizations, including Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity, and the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals. He is committed to empowering students, advancing leadership education, and contributing to institutional growth through effective policy development and student-centered programming.
Education
- Ph.D. in Public Policy (Education Policy), Liberty University, 2022
- Ed.S. in Educational Leadership (Higher Education Cognate), Liberty University, 2019
- M.S. in Legal Studies (Education Law & Policy) – Kaplan University, 2013
- B.S. in Criminal Justice, South Carolina State University, 2011