Tonya Little is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Programs at NCSSM-Morganton. Since 1992, she has enjoyed teaching, mentoring, school-level and district-level administration, grant writing, developing STEM networks, and coaching STEM competition teams. She believes that STEM education coupled with humanities education raises social awareness and sparks innovation. She is a member of the third graduating class of NCSSM (’84). A third-generation ECSU Viking, she followed in the footsteps of her mother, father, and grandmother, who were all educators. After earning her bachelor’s degree in biology at Elizabeth City State University, she earned her master’s degree in school administration as a member of the NCSU Northeast Leadership Academy Cohort II, which focused on preparing leaders and increasing student achievement in high-poverty, hard-to-staff, and historically low-performing areas. She earned her doctorate in educational leadership from East Carolina University. She enjoys spending time with her family, is an avid gardener, and loves to cook, especially if the food comes from her garden. She strives for five attributes in her life: seek wonder, embrace compassion and empathy, accept a challenge and persevere, glow in resilience, and be humble as a servant leader.

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
BS, Biology, Elizabeth City State University
MSA, School Administration, North Carolina State University
EdD, Educational Leadership, East Carolina University

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