2022 | Jan Barker Alexander

Jan Barker Alexander’s career at Stanford spans 27 years. She most recently was the Assistant Vice Provost and Executive Director of the Centers for Equity, Community, and Leadership (ECL) and the Offices of First Generation and/or Low-Income Programs & Military Affiliated Communities.  

 Jan led the Black House for 20 years as Associate Dean of Students & Director of the Black Community Services Center. She created programs that serve as a national model of excellence for intellectual engagement, leadership development, inclusion, belonging, and social justice.   

 In 2005, Jan and Trustee V. Joy Simmons, along with the National Black Alumni Association, led the first-ever fundraising campaign focused on affinity giving at Stanford that raised ~$1.3 million dollars.  Funds supported the renovation of existing space and the creation of a multi-purpose facility and a deck for outside activities.  

 In 2006, Jan became the Resident Fellow (RF) at Ujamaa House.  She worked tirelessly to continue the legacy of intellectual engagement and community. In 2020, the Ujamaa RF role was the first RF role to be endowed and is named after Jan, due to a generous gift from Evan Spiegel, ’12. 

Jan is from Franklinton, a rural town in Louisiana.  She received her B.A. in Journalism from Louisiana State University and a M.Ed. from Southern University, a historically Black College and University.  She is married to Fredrick Alexander, her high school sweetheart and has two children, Hudson and Armstead.   Jan recently retired from Stanford and has accepted a position at LSU.