Heather Knight

Heather Joy Knight is an American educator and former President of Pacific Union College. She is the first woman to serve in that role and the only African-American woman to lead a college affiliated with the Adventist Church in North America. Born in Jamaica, her family moved to the United States when she was nine. After completing her undergraduate degree at Oakwood College, she did her graduate work at Loma Linda University. She received her doctorate at Stanford University and pursued postdoctoral research at Harvard University.

She began her career on the faculty of the University of the Pacific, becoming an award-winning associate provost until she was asked to take over as provost at Andrews University. In 2009, she became the 21st President of Pacific Union College.

Early life and education Heather Joy Knight was born in Jamaica and lived there for the first nine years of her life. She immigrated to the United States, settling in the Bronx, New York, with her parents Austin and Herolin Evelyn. They have five sons and three daughters. Two years later, she got her master's degree in English from Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California. She later became the assistant provost and then in 1997, the associate provost for Faculty Development, Diversity and Special Programs.

Andrews University In 2006, Knight was appointed provost of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. She was officially inaugurated on April 15, 2010, in a ceremony at the Pacific Union College Church. Her selection was historical, in that she is both the first black president and first female president in Pacific Union College history. Furthermore, she is the first (and currently only) black woman to lead a North American Adventist college. When Knight took over, Pacific Union College had experienced two consecutive years of decline in enrollment, however, in her first year as president enrollment increased by 11%. After taking over at Pacific Union College, Knight has been noted for her wide experience at both Christian and secular schools and her ability to build consensus between various constituent parties. Knight completed her presidency at PUC on January 8, 2017.

Educational philosophy

The Adventist Advantage In the second all-school colloquy of the 2009–2010 school year at Pacific Union College, Knight spoke on "Integrating Faith and Learning: A Higher Education Imperative" and her Adventist Advantage platform. She reported that institutions of higher learning are taking a fresh look at religion and spirituality and argued that it provides Adventist Education "with multiple opportunities to showcase what we have been doing so very well for so many years." The January, 2011 edition of the Pacific Union Recorder reports on renovations to the campus accomplished under Knight's leadership.