Afton Thomas
Associate Director for Programs, Center for the Study of Southern Culture
BIO
As associate director of programs with the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, Afton Thomas draws upon her extensive experience in community engagement and event planning, and professional experience in theatre education, hospitality management, and human resources to support faculty, students, and Center initiatives while remaining actively involved in both the university and local community. Afton holds a master’s degree in theatre with an emphasis in children’s theatre education from Sacramento State University, and in 2024, she completed her doctoral degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Mississippi’s School of Education. In 2014, she began work at the Center as project coordinator with the Southern Foodways Alliance and served in this position for 4.5 years. She is active at the University of Mississippi and prides herself on staying connected and attending as many events as possible. She is a member of the United Campus Workers and serves on a subcommittee of the Chancellor’s Commission on the Status of Women at the university.
WHY CLI?
I chose to apply to CLI because I am deeply curious about workplace dynamics, leadership capabilities, and professional development. While working on my dissertation, I began to shape my leadership philosophy. I am an inclusive leader who can work alongside a group of individuals while demonstrating respect for each person’s unique characteristics without bias. I embody pro-diversity beliefs by recognizing group diversity as beneficial and viewing each person’s differences as strengths. I think CLI will further strengthen my ability to be an inclusive leader and help me explore character development in the workplace. I want to publicly thank the CLI committee for selecting me to join this cohort. I look forward to learning alongside UM colleagues.