Pioneering Contributions

Gwendolyn Spencer Prater, PhD, LCSW distinguished social work career and leadership spans outstanding accomplishments of pioneering opportunities in research, service, and scholarship. Dr. Prater is Dean Emerita, School of Social Work at Jackson State University (JSU). She is a former professor and was delighted to teach and advise students in undergraduate and graduate social work programs. She is the Founding Dean of the School of Social Work and Founding Dean of the former College of Public Service at Jackson State University. Dr. Prater was the academic administrative leader for the initial national discipline-specific accreditation of the: 1) Master of Social Work, 2) Master of Urban and Regional Planning, 3) Master of Public Health, and 4) Doctor of Public Health (Epidemiology, Behavioral Health Promotion and Education, and Health Policy and Management) degree programs. Prior to national accreditation, Dr. Prater also led three of these programs through the Board of Trustees, Institutions of Higher Learning, State of Mississippi approval process – the MSW and PhD in Social Work, and the DrPH degrees. She also led the subsequent matriculation and graduation of the MSW and PhD in Social Work charter classes.

Career Highlights

While at JSU, she was the recipient of millions of dollars in research and training grants and contracts, always ensuring that funds were included for student stipends, tuition, and work-study. A significant number of these external funds were awarded in the area of child and family welfare. Dr. Prater led several groups of faculty and public school teachers on intercultural educational experiences to various countries on the continent of Africa. Several of these faculty development opportunities were funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program. She directed scholarly studies on infant and child mortality on the continent with research funding from the United States Agency for International Development. Dr. Prater also spearheaded a research project on rural public transportation services for the elderly and differently challenged in four southern states with funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation, a project that also supported expanded summer internship opportunities for social work students in urban mass transportation in other states.

Biographic Data

Born in Bovina and reared in Vicksburg, Mississippi. She received a BA in sociology Magna Cum Laude from Tougaloo College, an MSW from The Ohio State University, and a PhD degree in Social Work from the University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Prater is an active member of New Hope Baptist Church. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers - Mississippi Chapter and served as its president and Dr. Prater is also former chair of the Women's Council for Philanthropy (JSU Development Foundation). Dr. Prater has also served as State President, AARP Mississippi. She is a lifetime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., an alumna member of the Jackson (MS) Chapter of the Links, Inc., and a lifetime associate member of the Jackson (MS) Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Dr. Prater is the daughter of awesome parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Louis (Willie Mae “Trudy”) Spencer. Her wonderful husband of 56 years is Wesley F. Prater, MD. She is the proud mother of one daughter, Ms. Djenaba Prater and one son, Dr. Wesley Spencer Prater.