Shirley C. Raines is an American public speaker, author and leadership consultant who retired from academia after serving as president of the

University of Memphis } The University of Memphis (UofM) is a public university, public research university in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 1912, the university has an enrollment of more than 22,000 students. The university maintains the Herff College of Engineering ...

from 2001 to 2013. Before entering administration she was a professor of education, specializing in early childhood.

Early life

Raines was born April 15, 1945 in

Jackson, Tennessee Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Tennessee, United States. Located east of Memphis, it is a regional center of trade for West Tennessee. Its total population was 68,205 as of the 2020 United States census. Jackso ...

, and grew up on a cotton farm near Bells. She completed her undergraduate education at

UT Martin The University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin or UTM) is a public university in Martin, Tennessee. It is one of the five campuses of the University of Tennessee system. UTM is the only public university in West Tennessee outside of Memphis ...

, studying child development, and then worked as a kindergarten teacher for several years.From cotton picker to college president, Shirley Raines to speak Thursday
''Oak Ridger'', April 29, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2017. She later undertook further studies at UT Knoxville, graduating with an M.Sc. in child development and later a

D.Ed. The Doctor of Education (Ed.D. or D.Ed.; Latin ''Educationis Doctor'' or ''Doctor Educationis'') is (depending on region and university) a research or professional doctoral degree that focuses on the field of education. It prepares the holder for a ...

in elementary and early education.A New Reign
''The University of Memphis Magazine'', Spring 2001. Retrieved November 27, 2017.

Academia

Before entering administration, Raines taught for periods at the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, or Bama) is a public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of Alabama is the oldest and largest of the publi ...

;

North Carolina Wesleyan College North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) is a private Methodist university in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. It was founded in 1956. North Carolina Wesleyan also offers evening courses at its main Rocky Mount campus, as well as satellite locations ...

; Northeastern State University, Oklahoma;

George Mason University George Mason University (George Mason, Mason, or GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia with an independent City of Fairfax, Virginia postal address in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. The university was orig ...

, Virginia; and the

University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, and other campuses in St. Petersburg and Sarasota. It is one of 12 members of the State University System of Florida. USF i ...

. In 1995, she was appointed dean of education at the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a public land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, the university is one of the state's ...

; she was additionally made vice-president for academic affairs three years later. She served as president of the

Association for Childhood Education International Childhood Education International (formerly, Association for Childhood Education International; International Kindergarten Union), a nonprofit organization with membership, is a global community of educators and advocates who advocate for desir ...

from 1999 to 2001. In January 2001, the board of regents of the University of Memphis elected Raines as the successor to President V. Lane Rawlins – the first woman to hold the position.Dr. Raines Named 11th President of the University of Memphis
University of Memphis, February 2001. Retrieved November 27, 2017. Her term began on July 1, 2001, and continued until her retirement on June 30, 2013.Dr. Shirley Raines to Retire from U of M
WREG, April 15, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2017. As president, Raines oversaw the acquisition of Lambuth University, the establishment of the University of Memphis Research Foundation and the Memphis Research Consortium, and the construction of a number of new buildings. She was inducted into the

Tennessee Women's Hall of Fame The Tennessee Women's Hall of Fame is a non-profit, volunteer organization that recognizes women who have contributed to history of the U.S. state of Tennessee. History The organization was founded and incorporated as a non-profit organization in ...

in 2013, and retired to

Oak Ridge, Tennessee Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of downtown Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 31,402 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. O ...

, where she works as a motivational speaker and leadership consultant.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raines, Shirley 1945 births People from Crockett County, Tennessee University of Tennessee alumni University of Tennessee at Martin alumni University of Alabama faculty North Carolina Wesleyan College Northeastern State University faculty George Mason University faculty University of South Florida faculty University of Kentucky faculty Heads of universities and colleges in the United States Women heads of universities and colleges Living people People from Jackson, Tennessee

Early life

Academia

See also

References