University System of Georgia Announces Dr. Georj Lewis as President of Clayton State University

(January 18, 2023) - The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) today named Dr. Georj Lewis president of Clayton State University and Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers president of Atlanta Metropolitan State College (AMSC), effective Feb. 1, 2023.

Lewis currently serves as president of AMSC, a position he has held since November 2019 after first being appointed as AMSC’s interim president on July 1, 2019.

Thompson-Sellers currently serves as president of South Georgia State College (SGSC), a position she has held since May 2017 after first being appointed as the college’s interim president on June 30, 2016.

“Both Dr. Lewis and Dr. Thompson-Sellers are experienced leaders who understand the university system’s top priority is our students and their success, both on campus and in the workforce,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. “Dr. Lewis made an immediate impact on AMSC, including strengthening its partnerships within metro Atlanta. Dr. Thompson-Sellers has been a staunch advocate for her students, faculty and staff as she has built up the college’s workforce programs based on community needs. I look forward to the continued success of both as they take on these new roles.”

Clayton State has been led by interim President Kerry L. Heyward since April 6, 2022. With Lewis’ appointment, Heyward will transition back to her role as university attorney for Georgia State University, where she is a member of the senior leadership team.

“Clayton State University helps metro Atlanta thrive with top-ranked programs including nursing and by being the best support for students as they improve social mobility and advance their dreams and careers,” Lewis said. “It’s an honor to join with Laker Nation’s faculty and staff to help cement its reputation as one of the best state universities in Georgia. I’m also incredibly grateful for the students, faculty and staff of AMSC. It’s been an honor to be a part of their journey toward success.”

“AMSC’s strong academic mission and student-focused degree programs are a testament to its legacy of making higher education accessible to more Georgians,” Thompson-Sellers said. “I look forward to helping my new campus family continue blazing those new trails and thank my SGSC family for their hard work and amazing support of the college and its students.”

A transition plan for SGSC will be announced soon.

About Dr. Georj Lewis

A native of southwestern Pennsylvania, Dr. Georj Lewis has over 28 years of experience in higher education and nearly 20 years of service within USG. He started his career in admissions and enrollment coordinating minority recruitment efforts before leading student diversity efforts at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and then transitioning to a similar role at Georgia Southern University.

Over the next several years, Lewis served in senior leadership roles at Georgia Southern, Indiana University Northwest and the former Armstrong State University. He was serving as Georgia Southern’s vice president for student affairs when he became interim president of AMSC in 2019.

Among awards, Lewis was most recently recognized as a 2021 Pillar of the Profession by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. He is also a recipient of the Paragon Award for New Presidents by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. While at AMSC, Lewis conducted an in-depth examination of its enrollment process resulting in a more efficient and seamless experience for students. He also worked to enhance and strengthen partnerships with metro Atlanta educational leaders to support student access to higher education.

Lewis earned both his bachelor’s degree in business/accounting and master’s degree in counseling/student personnel from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. He earned his doctorate in educational leadership from Georgia Southern.

About Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers

A Georgia State alumna, Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers has more than 30 years of experience in higher education with almost her entire career spent in service with USG.

At SGSC, Thompson-Sellers established new initiatives to increase enrollment, reduce expenditures and increase investment in the college’s technology infrastructure to aid in financial aid and recruiting. This includes a 125% increase in online student enrollment when the college expanded online course offerings in 2017. Additionally, the college underwent a reorganization that resulted in significant cost savings, adding to the financial health of the institution.

Prior to her appointment at SGSC, Thompson-Sellers served as Georgia State’s senior associate dean and professor of business information systems. She also served in a variety of roles at the former Georgia Perimeter College, now part of Georgia State, beginning in August 1998. This includes as interim vice president for academic affairs, business information systems faculty, department chair, dean of business as well as campus dean for the Newton, Decatur, Clarkston and GPC Online campuses.

Thompson-Sellers previously taught at Iona University in New Rochelle, New York. She earned her bachelor’s degree in physics from The University of the West Indies (Mona Campus, Jamaica), a master’s degree in telecommunications from Iona University, a doctoral degree in instructional technology from Georgia State and a graduate certificate in analytics from Johns Hopkins University. She currently serves on the board of trustees for SACSCOC, Iona University and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.