Marion Ross Fedrick Delivers 20th Annual Mary Frances Early Lecture

Marion Ross Fedrick presented the keynote address to a full audience at the 20th Annual Mary Frances Early Lecture on February 25 at 2 p.m. in the Hodgson Concert Hall. Fedrick is the 10th president of Albany State University and a student in IHE’s executive Ed.D. program in higher education management. 

Ms. Fedrick served as interim executive vice president and interim president at the university before being appointed president on August 14, 2018. Prior to that, Marion served as vice chancellor for human resources at the University System of Georgia. In this role, she led initiatives relating to university administration, leadership development and human resources planning. Fedrick has led staff development efforts at Clark Atlanta University, Emory University and Emory University Hospitals. She also served in leadership roles in the state of Georgia’s Office of State Personnel Administration, AT&T and BellSouth. Marion is a graduate of UGA with a bachelor’s degree in adult education and a master’s degree in public administration. 

The lecture honors Mary Frances Early who became the first African American to graduate from the University of Georgia in 1962. In January 2018, Early received one of UGA’s highest honors, the President's Medal. This year’s lecture also included a ceremony officially naming the Mary Frances Early College of Education, which was approved by the Board of Regents in October. Among the speakers celebrating this momentous occasion were UGA President Jere Morehead, USG Chancellor Steve Wrigley, Mary Frances Early College of Education Dean Denise Spangler, and Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Michelle Cook. The event was also attended by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp.