Faces on Campus: Dr. Dedra Sibley
UPDATE: As of July 1, 2021, Dr. Dedra Sibley has taken on the new role of Dean of STEM and Business, Cocoa Campus Administrator, and Palm Bay Campus Administrator.
You just never know who you’ll meet at Eastern Florida State College. The person featured in this month’s post can be described in many ways: leader, communicator, inspiration — the list goes on. Dr. Dedra Sibley is a true community champion who radiates from within! This superwoman wears so many hats, you’d think it impossible to wear them well, but she pulls it off with grace and style. Some of her current hats include Cocoa Campus Provost, attorney, mentor, speaker, and advocate. She has impressive credentials (J.D., Florida A&M University; M.B.A., Webster University; B.S.B.A., University of Central Florida), but more impressive is her professional and personal dedication to others.
Like many of our campus leaders, before she was the Dr. Sibley we know and love, she was a student — you guessed it — right here at EFSC. She told me that while she only took one semester at BCC to complete her A.A. requirements for UCF, the experience — and especially her communications class — made a lasting impression on her. To this day, she still has some of the papers she wrote (the good ones, that is). She remembers the fundamental writing style she learned back then (a five-paragraph essay with transitions, evidence, and a conclusion), and finds it refreshing that those standards still apply to what students are learning today.
Dr. Sibley’s return to Eastern Florida began as a member of the Board of Trustees. She was then offered the opportunity to participate in the Administrative Leadership Internship Program (ALIP), which is designed to provide instruction and preparation for future leaders within higher education. Following this, she served as the Director of Institutional Effectiveness during a SACS accreditation year, and as Associate Provost for eLearning, the Palm Bay Campus, and the Cocoa Campus. She currently serves as Provost for the Cocoa Campus.
The challenges that come with her role as Provost make good use of Dr. Sibley’s sharp skills. She works hard to set realistic expectations while meeting the needs of students, faculty, and staff. This includes weighing all sides of conflicting situations, and using teachable moments to show students how to assess each class or teacher differently, making necessary adjustments along the way.
In my role at the college, I plan and implement recruitment events for each of our four campuses, and I often work closely with campus leadership to plan these events. Dr. Sibley is always willing to help by talking with prospective students, encouraging participation, and meaningfully engaging students in a way that goes beyond just “making an appearance.” She genuinely cares about helping others, and the politics that sometimes exist within the hierarchy of the business world are simply not part of her style.
If you have read any of my other blog posts, you’ll know I’m a huge fan of mentors, and this is something Dr. Sibley is passionate about as well. Unsurprisingly, she serves as a mentor to many, but I wanted to know more about her mentors. Professionally, she named other past and present leaders here at EFSC, including Dr. Ethel Newman, Dr. Sandy Handfield, and Dr. Joe Lee Smith.
“I look for people that I admire, with strengths in areas I want to grow,” she said.
Personally, Dr. Sibley shared that the most influential person in her life is her mom, who “raised three children on her own and still earned her degree.” She remembers fondly that she and her mother attended school at the same time, after which her family moved to Florida, where her mom opened her own restaurant.
“I followed her footsteps in many ways,” Dr. Sibley explained, “as I also finished school later in life.”
Clearly, this influence and experience has made Dr. Sibley passionate about encouraging and speaking life and truth into young people through mentorship. She says her mantra is “to whom much is given, much is required.” This reminds me of one of my favorite superhero quotes, affectionately known as the Peter Parker principle: “With great power comes great responsibility.” (Shameless plug for my mentor post!)
At the end of the day, Dr. Sibley views her experiences as a blessing and feels compelled to share them with others. Her advice to students today?
“Learn how to find resources and a support system, make a connection, and always be learning, growing, and developing. As long as you have the opportunity and the desire, you can achieve your dreams.”
- Faces on Campus: Winter Break Edition - December 15, 2021
- It’s Never Too Late - August 25, 2021
- Overcoming Barriers to Degree Completion - April 28, 2021
