The Northeastern Illinois University Board of Trustees announced today that it has named Katrina E. Bell-Jordan, Ph.D., as the University’s eighth president, effective Aug. 1, 2024. A special meeting of the University’s Board of Trustees will be held to confirm her appointment.
For the past year, Bell-Jordan has served as Interim President of Northeastern, a public university that stands out in Chicago’s higher education landscape for its inclusion of full-time, transfer, nontraditional, graduate and international students.
“During her time as interim president, Dr. Bell-Jordan has proven to be a leader whose consensus-building, growth-oriented, fiscally-responsible style will continue to unite the NEIU community and propel us forward,” said J. Todd Phillips, Chair of the Northeastern Illinois University Board of Trustees. “The Board sees NEIU as the region’s destination of choice for higher ed students, faculty and staff from all walks of life. The vision, inclusive approach, and steady hand that Dr. Bell-Jordan brings to the President’s Office reinforces our unwavering commitment to the excellence NEIU students deserve.”
The selection of Bell-Jordan as the University’s president follows a thorough yearlong national search that included feedback and participation from Board members, faculty, students and other University stakeholders.
“NEIU is about to embark on a renaissance that stands firmly on its roots, and Dr. Bell-Jordan is the right leader to move NEIU from the shadows as we claim our space as the premier university for Latino/a/x students and nontraditional students,” Vice Chair of the NEIU Board of Trustees Michelle Morales said. "Dr. Bell-Jordan’s leadership affirms NEIU’s commitment to social justice and its legacy as the longest-standing four-year public Hispanic-Serving Institution in the Midwest.”
Bell-Jordan’s journey at Northeastern Illinois University began in 1997 when she became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre (CMT). She has since held various leadership roles, including serving as CMT Department Chair, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, and Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. She was appointed Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in March 2020. She began serving as Interim President of Northeastern on July 1, 2023.
“As I begin my term as Northeastern Illinois University's eighth President, I am filled with gratitude and admiration for this incredible institution and for the diverse community of students we serve,” Bell-Jordan said. “After nearly 27 years at Northeastern, I am proud to support its mission as an Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution, and I am honored to have the opportunity to lead as President. I am eager to collaborate with the University community to plan our future and showcase the impact and spirit of NEIU — our adaptability, resilience and unwavering commitment to access, excellence and the success of our students.”
During her time as Interim President, Bell-Jordan recruited several exceptional leaders to key positions to help situate the University for success, managed in a fiscally-responsible way, and implemented changes to retain and grow the student body and modernize the University.
Bell-Jordan earned a Ph.D. in Rhetorical Studies and Media Studies and an M.A. in Rhetorical Studies at the Ohio University School of Interpersonal Communication. She earned a BSJ in News Editorial Journalism from the Ohio University E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.
Her teaching background includes media literacy and media theory, rhetorical theory and criticism, and news writing/journalism. Her research has focused on critical media studies, including the politics of gender, race and representation in the media, the rhetoric of popular culture, and news culture.
Bell-Jordan has served in leadership roles on various advisory, curriculum and hiring committees at Northeastern, including serving on the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Team for the University’s 2017 accreditation visit, the Baccalaureate Goals Working Group and Northeastern’s first Writing Intensive Faculty Advisory Committee (WI-FAC) as Co-Chair. She also co-led the University's two-year (2015-2017) Economic Inequality Initiative, a partnership between the College of Arts and Sciences and Division of Student Affairs.
She is an elected member of the Board of Education for Skokie, Illinois District 68, where she has served four terms since 2011 and is currently Board Vice President. She is also a member of the Alumni Advisory Council of the School of Communication Studies at Ohio University.
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Bell-Jordan appreciates the support of her husband and son, and enjoys travel and culinary experiences, vintage bookstores, trivia and movies.
Top image: Dr. Katrina E. Bell-Jordan speaking at Northeastern Illinois University's May 2024 Commencement ceremony.
