Grambling State University President Martin Lemelle Jr. Wants To Position Students To Work Among The ‘Best And Brightest In Silicon Valley’

Grambling State University President Martin Lemelle Jr. is a champion of belonging.

President Lemelle is a native of the community and once walked the halls of the HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) to earn a bachelor of science degree in accounting. In his senior year, his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., interviewed him for their magazine. When asked about his career aspirations, he named two possibilities at the time: serving in the U.S. Congress or becoming a college president.

“Through the gift and grace of this wonderful thing we call life, I’ve had the opportunity to run for Congress, and I’m currently serving as a university president. So, when you set those intentions and you’re pure about the motive, the universe, God will open up spaces for you that allow you to live that out,” he told AFROTECH™ in an interview.

In April 2024, Lemelle officially assumed his post as the 11th president of Grambling State University. He worked at the school from 2016 to 2021 as executive vice president and chief operating officer, before a shorter tenure at the Maryland Institute College of Art in a similar role.

Making History

When the Board of Regents appointed him at the HBCU, he became its second-youngest president at age 39. He also made history as the youngest currently serving president across HBCUs at the time of his appointment, according to information shared with AFROTECH™. He says he feels “fortunate” to be a Millennial leader.

“So being one of the younger presidents in this cadre of HBCU leaders really is a gift,” he expressed. “I can sit at this intersection of being a part of the first group who understood what the internet was and used dial-up and initially figured out how to use a search engine, to now being on the cusp of artificial intelligence and creating policy and practice that embraces the new changes within the world of work, but also understand the very core necessity of good communication skills and social interaction. So being in this space at this age, 41, I was 39 when I was appointed at that point in time… But certainly very thankful, right, that I get to sit as a bridge builder between multiple generations.”

Student Support

Lemelle also shares some of his focus areas for the university. One priority, a new student residential facility, is an onboarding project under Grambling’s campus master plan, providing new living spaces with apartment-style living. To foster community and belonging, which are pillars of utmost importance to Lemelle — mirroring the spirit of former president Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones Sr. — project plans for the residential facility could include a podcast studio, lounges, and retail.

To further support students, the construction of the Student Success Center is projected to be completed in 2026. This will provide space for admissions, campus living, registration, and financial aid departments.

As it relates to updates around scholarship opportunities, the Global and Experiential Education Scholarship will aid students in studying abroad to increase cultural awareness and expand their capacity to serve, according to the university’s website.

Additionally, to help fund scholarship opportunities, The Kicks Ball at Grambling State, sponsored by Adidas and Diageo, is held annually and supports students who have registered for classes but still have a gap to fill to cover the cost. This year, the event will take place on Friday, Nov. 28, at Hilton Riverside Hotel in New Orleans and will include a special performance by the legendary SWV R&B trio.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity to support GSU and have a great time,” Lemelle said.

Programs

On the interdisciplinary front, the university will offer a fully online master’s program in communication. It was also recently approved for a Bachelor of Science in public health. Additionally, it is pursuing approval for a master’s in sustainability that will merge environmental consciousness with core STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) disciplines. This also comes at a time when President Lemelle seeks to place students at some of the “best and brightest institutions in Silicon Valley,” with nine students already interning at Meta over the summer, he shares.

Building on the school’s momentum, he notes that the university’s Bachelor of Science degree program in nursing has maintained a 100% NCLEX passage rate for the past four years, underscoring the institution’s strength in preparing students for professional success and positioning it to expand further in health-related fields.

“We will have a series of new academic programs at Grambling State University that really help us pioneer our space as we look to become a Research 2 institution. And so both research and development expenditures, but also growing our graduate and professional programs,” Lemelle expressed.

Funding

Lemelle also addresses funding efforts and says he is thankful Grambling is a state-supported institution, with 28% of funding coming from Louisiana, which has been stable for the past four to five years. It also receives support from the 1901 Day of Giving, an annual alumni and institutional supporters fundraiser. Under Lemelle’s leadership, the fundraiser, in its fourth year, raised $711,907 in one day, which was a new fundraising record, a press release confirms. The school does benefit from the U.S. Department of Education’s “Title III, Part B program,” which was created for HBCUs and awards “grants to eligible institutions to assist them in strengthening their academic, administrative, and fiscal capabilities,” according to a press release. President Lemelle acknowledges it has been a great investment in the university’s information technology infrastructure.

“Grambling State continues to be a great return on investment with a phenomenal value proposition,” he expressed.

“We’re on the cusp of discussing Grambling’s legacy for 125 years in 2026. So you’ll see us educating our community about the enterprise and the business of higher education, and giving them a seat, a very active seat at the table to ensure that they can be very participatory and active investors in the future of Grambling State University,” he added.