Dr. Martin Lemelle has been named as the new president of Grambling State University (GSU) by the University of Louisiana System (ULS) Board of Supervisors. He was among the three finalists who were interviewed for the role, making him the 11th president of the historic university.
Lemelle is a third-generation GSU graduate and replaces Rick Gallot as the school’s president. He graduated in 2006 and previously served as student body president.
“Dr. Lemelle’s appointment as the 11th president of Grambling State University guarantees a leader well-prepared on day one. I am confident that under President Lemelle’s leadership, Grambling State University will continue to thrive with its best days yet to come,” said former university president Gallot.
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Prior to his current position, Lemelle was the second in command at GSU from 2016 to 2021, serving as executive vice president and chief financial officer. He reportedly assisted Gallot to improve the fortunes of the university by over 200 percent. Also, he was instrumental in launching innovative programs in cybersecurity, nursing, and cloud computing.
“To this illustrious board, to our Gram Fam across the globe, to our students, current and future, to our alumni community, my family, friends, and supporters… This is our story. This is the Grambling State University story,” said Lemelle, who is currently executive vice president and chief financial officer at Maryland Institute College of Art.
Also, he launched a 2020 bid for Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District seat and has overseen projects for organizations including the United States Senate, PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM, General Electric, Dean Foods, and Industrial Retail Group.
Lemelle received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Grambling State University, an MBA from George Washington University, and an executive doctorate in business administration from the SKEMA Business School in Paris, France.
