Dr. Steven Hairston

Dr. Steven E. Hairston is a native of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and a graduate of its public school system.  Upon graduation from Atlantic City High School, he immediately enrolled in Virginia Union University (VUU).  While in college he was elected as the Chief Justice of the Student Government Association, a recipient of the UNCF Florence and John Schumann Foundation academic scholarship, a member of the Dean’s List for six of eight semesters, Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, and an initiate of the Alpha Gamma Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Hairston currently serves as the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Development and the Title III Administrator at Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama. He was promoted into the Vice Presidency after serving as the Director of Development.  Prior to the Miles College appointment, he served a dual appointment at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) as the Executive Director of the Minority Health Disparities Research Center and Executive Director of the Office for Diversity and Inclusion in the Heersink School of Medicine. 

Previously, he was the Vice President for Institutional Advancement-Development and Chief Operating Officer at Saint Augustine’s University where he directed, administered, and coordinated the fundraising and development activities of the university in accordance with policies, goals and objectives established by the President and Board of Trustees. In the role of Chief Operating Officer, he assisted the President with the day-to-day operations of the university.  The following departments and business units reported to Dr. Hairston, the Meadowbrook Country Club, SAU Community Development Corporation (the SAU-CDC is an independent 501(C)3 housing and rental property entity), the SAU Police and Security Department, Buildings Grounds and Facilities Maintenance, the Post Office, Central Receiving and Asset Management and the Motor Fleet.

Prior to his career in higher education, he served as a public administrator with more than 25-years in executive level leadership positions in state government and non-profit sectors. Hairston served as the Director of Strategy, Research and Planning, the Strategic Planning Manager, and the Chief of the Operations Support in the three largest state governmental agencies in North Carolina.

A Life Member, loyal alumnus and financial supporter, he has served as the Vice President, Sponsorship Officer, and member of the Executive Board of the Virginia Union University National Alumni Association, Inc. (VUUNAA).  He is the Vice President of North Carolina Chapter of the VUUNAA. He was selected as the VUU Outstanding Alumnus of the Year in 2015 and in 2016 was inducted into the UNCF Hall of Honor.

He is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and has served as the Polemarch of his undergraduate chapter, his alumni chapter, and the Eastern Province Sr. Vice Polemarch, which is the highest elected position in the region.  At the national level of the fraternity, he served three terms on the Kappa Alpha Psi Achievement Commission and four years on the Strategic Planning Committee.  He was awarded the highest honor in the Eastern Province the Pillar of the Province on two occasions (2006 and 2011), the Distinguished Legends Award and was the Chapter Brother of the Year both as an undergraduate and alumni chapter member.

Highly decorated for his professional accomplishments, he was awarded The Old North State Award in 2021 by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. The Man of the Year in Philanthropy and Non-Profit Organizations 2019 presented by Spectacular Magazine. He also received the LEAD-An HBCU Grow Award for Leadership.  He has been inducted into the Golden Key International Honor Society, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, and Outstanding Young Americans.

He holds a Ph.D. from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and degrees from Temple University, Virginia Union University, The Center for Legal Studies and the Duke University-Nonprofit Management Program.  He has a Certificate of Fundraising Management (CFRM) from The University of Texas at Austin.  He completed a fellowship at the Kenan-Flagler Business School and the School of Public Health of the University of North Carolina and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Leadership Foundation (HELF) Leadership Institute.  He has held designation as a Certified Public Manager (CPM) since 2003.   He and his wife Ingrid are the proud parents of two adult children.