Dr. Michele “Sheli” Turner

As Executive Director of the USC Black Alumni Association (USC BAA) since late 2007, Dr. Turner is responsible for maintaining the cultural identity of the Trojan Black community. She strategically creates, plans and executes all programs and services in support of the mission of the organization, which is to strengthen the legacy of educational attainment and excellence of USC Black students. The USC BAA provides scholarship assistance, career mentoring and cultural advocacy through alumni networking, volunteer involvement, philanthropy, and social enterprise. In this capacity, she has increased the endowed scholarship fund by over 500% and has awarded more than two-thirds of the $2 Million in scholarships provided by the organization in total over the last 38 years.  She has optimized the reach and impact of the USC BAA throughout local, national and global communities regarding the academic strengths and value of Black alumni engagement and cultural perspectives in volunteerism, philanthropy and policy consideration. Her leadership has shaped the USC BAA Scholarship Program as a “best practice” in higher education for retention and completion for Black students in elite institutions, with a 100% graduation rate of BAA Scholars.

Website: Dr. Michele Turner