MVNU appoints Dr. Michaelia Black as CFO

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio — Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Michaelia Black as Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Dr. Black will serve as a key member of the President’s Cabinet, overseeing financial strategy, operations, and compliance in support of the university’s mission and long-term goals.

Dr. Black brings extensive experience in higher education finance and administration, most recently serving as Assistant Professor of Accounting and Accounting Discipline Coordinator at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn. With nearly two decades of experience in both academic and administrative roles, she has demonstrated exceptional expertise in financial management, institutional compliance, and organizational leadership.

She holds an Ed.D. from Liberty University, an M.B.A. from Indiana Wesleyan University, and a B.M.E. from Lee University. Dr. Black is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Tennessee. Prior to her faculty role, she served as Director of Institutional Risk & Compliance at Lee University, where she managed grant accounting, insurance negotiations, endowment reporting, and financial compliance reporting.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Black to the MVNU family,” said Dr. Carson Castleman, MVNU President. “Dr. Black holds a doctorate in leadership and Master of Business Administration and Accounting, and is a certified CPA, so she brings exceptional depth and wisdom, and a heart for higher education that will help serve MVNU well. I’m grateful for her leadership, and I look forward to working with her and seeing the impact that she will have on this campus.”

Throughout her career, Dr. Black has taught at multiple faith-based institutions including Indiana Wesleyan University, University of St. Francis, and Belhaven University. She has served as a finance reviewer for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges since 2020 and is active in the Tennessee Society of Certified Public Accountants, serving on the Government and Not-for-Profit Subcommittee.

In her new role, Dr. Black will oversee budget planning and management, financial reporting, endowment oversight, facilities planning, and compliance with regulatory bodies. She will serve as the primary resource to the Board of Trustees Finance Committee and represent the university to national organizations including the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, the National Association of College and University Business Officers, and the Nazarene Business Officers association.

“I am excited to join the MVNU family in this season of transformation,” said Dr. Black. “We need dynamic Christian institutions to step up and share how education and faith go hand in hand, rather than in conflict with one another. Over the next few years, our priority for MVNU is to find creative revenue streams and align budgets with our institutional goals. We want to have an impact on the future generations, and we must be good stewards of the resources God provides to do that effectively.”

Emphasizing her diverse background in higher education, Dr. Black believes it will be an asset in this work.With her unique blend of academic and administrative expertise, she is prepared to lead MVNU through this pivotal time.

“Having had experience with both the academic and administrative sides of higher education, I understand it takes each one of us working together for this common goal of educating our students,” she said.

Dr. Black is married to Dr. Joshua Black, MVNU’s new Executive Director of Human Resources and Training & Development. She will start her position on a part-time basis and become full-time after her faculty contract expires at Lee University in mid-May.

For more about careers at MVNU, visit mvnu.edu/jobs.