Dr. Claude Perkins , VUU President
The Virginia Union University Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Claude G. Perkins President on August 20, 2009. Dr.Perkins is the 12th President to serve in the history of the University. He was appointed by the Board as Acting President on January 21, 2009. Dr. Perkins is a veteran educator with over 35 years in educational leadership roles at various levels of K-12 and higher education. Prior to joining Virginia Union University, he served as a Professor of Educational Leadership, Graduate Dean and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Albany State University for over 10 years. He also served as Chair of the State of Georgia’s Administrative Committee on graduate work and on the National Graduate Records Examination (GRE) Board of Advisors. Dr. Perkins established Albany State’s post-tenure review process and developed the Graduate School’s strategic plan. His responsibilities also included serving as the Chief Administrative Officer for the Ronald Brown International Trade Center, and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and Student Retention. As Albany State’s representative for international affairs, Dr. Perkins provided oversight for program development to internationalize the curriculum, promote international faculty and student exchanges, and establish international
partnerships for program development initiatives. He promoted study abroad programs in South Africa, Kenya, Mexico, Brazil, Jamaica, Europe, and Asia.
Prior to his appointments at Albany State, Dr. Perkins held the position of Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent for Special Student Services in the Richmond Public School System in Richmond, Virginia. He was responsible for the overall planning and assessment of the school division’s educational programs, facilities, business services, technology, human resources, and research needs. He also provided general administrative supervision for 60 schools and special
programs. Prior to his appointment as Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Perkins was Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Schools in the Richmond Public School System. In this capacity, he served as the chief administrator and instructional eader for all middle, high, vocational, technical, and continuing education schools in the entire division. Dr. Perkins’ xtensive experience has also included Superintendent of Schools positions in Kansas City, Missouri, and Clark County,
Nevada. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, is the fifth largest school district in the United States with more than 00,000 students enrolled today.
Dr. Perkins was appointed by the Governor of the state of Nevada to serve as he State Director (Secretary) of Commerce in 1982. He was also a member
of the governor’s cabinet. In that role, he served as the chief regulator of all state banks, credit unions, insurance companies and related financial
institutions, and the principal in the issuance of state industrial development bonds. He is a member of numerous professional organizations
and was the Chief Western Officer for the International African Education Research Network (Publisher of the Symposium Research
Journal). This journal publishes original research on education and human development topics in Africa.
In 2005, the Clark County, Nevada School Board approved the naming of the new Claude Grandford Perkins Elementary School in recognition of Dr. Perkins’ service to the Clark County, Nevada education community. The $25 million facility was completed in the fall of 2007.
Dr. Perkins earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Supervision from Ohio University in 1973 and a Masters of Arts in Economic Education from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University in 1968.
He is married to Mrs. Cheryl Elizabeth Perkins and the father of two sons and one daughter.