Vicksburg native Dr. Adena Williams Loston recognized by the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

Vicksburg native Dr. Adena Williams Loston was recently recognized by the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Loston, who is in her 18th year as President of St. Philip’s College, has been an inspiration in the educational field for decades.

Due to her never-ending efforts to lead others to success, Loston received the Greater Chamber of Commerce 2024 Executive Award. This award honors a large business individual who embodies leadership qualities that have driven not only their success but also the success of those around them.

Early Life:

Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Loston attended the all-black Rosa A. Temple High School where she graduated in 1970 with honors. It didn’t take long for Loston to earn her bachelor’s degree in just three short years. She then went on to gain her master’s degree a year later from Bowling Green.

“I made a plan in the 11th grade that I wanted to have my master’s when everyone was graduating with their bachelor’s,” Loston said.

Loston also went on to receive her PHD before embarking on a lifetime of success in both the education and business world.

Achievements:

Most recently, Loston was appointed as a Commissioner by President Joe Biden to the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans. She was the only College President appointed to serve as Commissioner.

In 2007, Loston became the 14th President of St. Philip’s College where the nation’s only Historically Black College and Hispanic Serving Institution had an enrollment of 7,000. St. Philip’s now has over 14,000 students and they opened five new buildings a couple of years ago while $140 million in construction is currently happening.

As President, Loston was 1 of 15 selected by the HACU to travel to Spain to work on abroad partnerships. Under her leadership, St. Philip’s has also raised over $2 million from their annual golf tournament as well as receiving millions of dollars in donations from various organizations.

Although Loston made a name for herself as President of St. Philip’s College, she became a true inspiration before earning that title. She previously served as the NASA Administrator’s Senior Education Advisor and the Associate Administrator for Education. She was responsible for structuring the Office of Education, providing executive leadership, policy direction, functional management, and guidance in coordinating the Agency’s overall efforts to organize and enhance its education investments and portfolio nationally and internationally for its headquarters operations, mission directorates, and 10 field centers. Dr. Loston was responsible for a $230 million budget (including earmarks) and directed policy for $1.3 billion.

Loston’s achievements could be over a mile long as she continues to receive recognition for her hard work. She is the author of “The Ark of My Leadership Experiences” and she resides in San Antonio and has one son and one grandchild.

Luston is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, and she will soon be recognized for more of her achievements.