Provost Karyn Scissum Gunn Receives Inaugural Dr. Jane Close Conoley Leadership Award
Dr. Karyn Scissum Gunn, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs at Cal State Long Beach, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Jane Close Conoley Leadership Award by the President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW). Dr. Scissum Gunn received the award at the Women’s Recognition Celebration on May 6.
The Dr. Jane Close Conoley Leadership Award was established in 2025 to commemorate President Emerita Dr. Conoley’s impact as the university’s first woman president and her enduring commitment to inclusion, opportunity, and respect for all. The award recognizes individuals whose leadership reflects these values and advances meaningful progress toward equity and belonging at The Beach.
Dr. Scissum Gunn is the first Black woman to serve as Provost at CSULB and is a nationally respected leader whose work promotes inclusive excellence in both meaningful and measurable ways. With 30 years of experience in higher education, she has led transformative efforts that expand access, confront systemic inequities, and strengthen student success outcomes.
Dr. Scissum Gunn’s leadership is grounded in her academic background as a scientist. She earned her doctorate in molecular genetics from Auburn University and built a research career supported by major funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education. This foundation continues to shape her leadership approach – data-informed, evidence-based, and focused on long-term institutional impact.
A hallmark of her work is the Holistic Student Success Ecological Model, which centers students’ full identities and experiences. Through this framework, Academic Affairs has championed strategies that promote persistence, belonging, and achievement, ensuring that students are holistically supported. Under her leadership, CSULB has launched initiatives such as the Office of Truth, Community, Healing, and Transformation (TCHT), becoming the first and only institution in the CSU system to be selected as a host for a TCHT Campus Office by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. She also founded the Office of Inclusive Excellence, with staff dedicated to supporting ALL students, including Black Student Success, Hispanic Serving Institution, and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander initiatives, as well as the Transgender Advocacy Coalition.
Dr. Scissum Gunn’s leadership continues to support measurable gains in student success, including receiving national recognition as one of 27 institutions nationwide to earn both Research 2 (R2) and Opportunity College and University (OCU) designations by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Through the development of innovative data dashboards and targeted initiatives, she has helped improve student retention and success, positioning CSULB among the top-performing institutions in the CSU system.
“I am truly humbled and honored to receive this award,” said Dr. Scissum Gunn. “This recognition reflects the collective work of so many across our campus who are committed to creating a community where ALL students can thrive. Inclusive excellence is not the work of one person – it is the shared responsibility and promise of all of us at The Beach.”
Dr. Scissum Gunn’s visionary leadership equips the Division of Academic Affairs to expand opportunity, strengthen community, and create pathways for all students to thrive – an impact that reflects the enduring legacy of Dr. Jane Close Conoley and shapes the future of The Beach.
