About the President
Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., currently serves as the 15th President of Alabama State University. Prior to becoming President of his alma mater, he had begun his fourth term in the Alabama State Senate after having been elected to his first term in 2002. While serving in the Senate, Dr. Ross distinguished himself as a true statesman and was one of seven African Americans serving in the Alabama State Senate. In 2015, he was elected as the first African American male Senate Minority Leader and the first Minority Leader elected to a four-year term. During his service, Dr. Ross was an established legislative leader and an unwavering advocate for public education, issues dealing with child safety and the general welfare of all Alabamians. Throughout his legislative tenure, Dr. Ross served on numerous committees, including Bank and Insurance, Confirmation, County and Municipal Government, Transportation and Energy, Military Affairs and the powerful Finance and Taxation Education Committee. He also was Vice-Chair of the Education Youth Affairs Committee.
Dr. Ross is a distinguished career educator with more than 23 years of experience in K-12 public education and higher education. Ross worked in the Montgomery Public School system as a classroom teacher, administrative assistant, assistant principal and a high school Principal, as well as a central office Educational Specialist. He served as the Director of Adult Education at H. Councill Trenholm State Community College. Dr. Ross later became a manager of UniServ Organizing/Staff Consultant to Higher Education for the Alabama Education Association. Ross has made it his mission to be a community advocate for public education and to help young people “grasp the light of knowledge through embracing diversity.”
Prior to becoming an educator or being elected to office, Dr. Ross was a Statewide Field Representative for the Alabama Democratic Party and the Alabama Democratic Conference for a number of years. He has held key positions in numerous political campaigns. Ross served as Co-Chair of the State Advisory Committee for President Barack Obama’s first election.
Dr. Ross has received numerous awards and recognitions and has been featured in many publications. He has been honored for his commitment to equity and quality in education. Ross has received The Montgomery Advertiser King Spirit Award, K.E.E.P. Production’s Young Legend Award and the Daring to Make a Difference Community Service Award. Ross received the Alabama School Board Association’s Power of One Award (2009) and recognition by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., locally, statewide and district wide as Citizen of the Year (2011). Other awards include the Alabama Adult Education Director’s Association 2012 Champion Award, 2015 Citizen of the Year for the Montgomery Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta and the 2016 Beloved Community Award from the Alabama State University Friends of the Theatre. Dr. Ross also was selected by the Business Council of Alabama as a 2017 Business Champion.
Dr. Ross is a graduate of Alabama State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science in 1992, a Master of Arts degree in Education in 1995, and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership, Policy and Law in 2010.
Dr. Ross holds professional memberships in several organizations, such as the National Education Association, National Council of Higher Education. Alabama Education Association, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and 100 Black Men, Inc. His most notable accomplishment is being a loving husband and father of two sons.