Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston is the seventh President of Norfolk State University. She began her tenure on June 24, 2019. As President, she is committed to ensuring that Norfolk State University fulfills its mission as an HBCU for the modern world, a university grounded by its heritage, focused on the future, and deeply committed to student success. Her vision is opportunity, access, affordability, growth, sustainability, and student excellence. A strong advocate for collaboration and developing strategic partnerships with local, regional, and state and national stakeholders, Dr. Adams-Gaston is committed to cultivating strong connections in the university, among alumni and in the community.

Under President Adams-Gaston’s leadership, Norfolk State University has successfully achieved the status of a U.S. News and World Report 2020, 2021, and 2022 Top 20 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) designation. The University attained 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation by its major accrediting body, The Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). This reaffirmation underscores the University’s strength, stability, and forward momentum. Enrollment increased to a six-year high in Fall 2022 to 5785 students. The University realized record high operating revenues 104% above projection, the highest in the history of Norfolk State. And Dr. Adams-Gaston has been successful in acquiring multiple donations including a transformational gift of over $40 million from Mackenzie Scott, the largest single donor gift in the history of NSU. The University has also raised over $11 million for the 2022 calendar year to support student initiatives.

Since President Adams-Gaston’s arrival, Norfolk State University has also expanded its online academic program curriculum to include a master’s degree in Cybersecurity and has been recognized nationally and designated as a Department of Defense Center of Excellence in Cybersecurity and Department of Energy Cybersecurity Consortium Leader. Under her leadership, the online master’s degree in Cyber Psychology, the first in the nation, launched in Fall 2020 in connection with Academic Partnerships. The University has secured grants of more than $53 million for scholarships and financial support to enhance student success during her tenure. Her strategic planning has also helped to secure transformational partnerships with the Sentara Healthcare- Public Health Program, Appalachian School of Law 3+3 program, Academic Partnerships, Dominion Energy, Micron Technology, Inc., Landmark, Netflix, 2U, Apple, Amazon, USAA, and the Pharrell Williams Black Ambition Prize, Mighty Dream, and many others.

A recognized higher education leader, President Adams-Gaston is an invited speaker nationally and internationally. Her appointments and honors have included: President Biden’s Appointment to the Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, NCAA Board of Governors among many other boards. Prior to joining Norfolk State University, Dr. Adams-Gaston served as senior vice president and affiliate assistant professor at The Ohio State University and led forty departments in the Office of Student Life annually impacting over 66,000 students.

Prior to that she held multiple administrative and faculty positions at the University of Maryland College Park including associate dean of academic affairs, faculty member, executive director of the Career Center, equity administrator, psychologist and first UMCP African American female assistant athletic director (Division 1). Trained as a psychologist, Dr. Adams-Gaston spent more than twenty years in private practice. She also served as a member of the graduate faculty at the University of Maryland College Park and Johns Hopkins University.