Melvin Stith

Central High, Sussex County (1964)

Academic Administrator

Melvin Stith grew up on a family farm in rural Jarratt, VA in Sussex County. He received a B.S. degree in Sociology from Norfolk State University (NSU) in 1968. He served in the U.S. Army 1968 to 1972, achieving the rank of Captain. He received an M.B.A. degree (1973) and a Ph.D. degree in Marketing (1978), both from Syracuse University. He was an Assistant Professor of Business and an Associate Dean at the University of South Florida’s College of Business (1977-1982). After serving as a visiting professor at the Florida A&M University School of Business and Industry (1982-1985), he was an Associate Professor of Marketing at Florida State University (FSU), later serving as the department’s chair. In 1991, Stith was named Dean of the Business School and Jim Moran Professor of Business Administration. He left FSU in 2005 to become the Dean of the Martin J. Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. Dr. Stith has served on many boards, including AFLAC and the Keebler Food Company. He was named a top influential black corporate executive by Savoy Magazine in 2016 and 2017. Dr. Stith left retirement in 2017 to serve as interim President of NSU. In 2018 he returned to Central High School to give the commencement address.