About me
Heather Knight, PhD, is a respected presence in the higher education leadership sphere who most recently guided Pacific Union College (PUC) as president. A pioneering woman of color at her level of academic responsibility, Dr. Heather Knight’s work led to recognition of PUC by US News and World Report in 2016 as the most diverse national liberal arts college nationwide.
Focused on enhancing campus life, Dr. Knight oversaw a major physical plant upgrade while spearheading beautification and facilities improvements projects that had long been deferred. Having secured $4.1 million as part of the Heritage Campaign Phase 1, she focused on a library addition and the naming of a civil rights center.
Dr. Knight’s past responsibilities include a position as chief operating officer and provost at Andrews University in Michigan. She began her academic career in the late 1980s as assistant professor in the department of English with The University of the Pacific. Taking on a mentoring role, she taught courses such as African-American literature and multicultural autobiography.
Former university president Dr. Heather Knight presented on “Pedagogies and Practices for Successfully Reaching African American Students” at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education’s 13th Summer Institute in 2018.