Kappa Alpha Psi’s Dr. Donald W. Comer Installed as the 11th President of Lane College

Dr. Donald W. Comer, a Life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., was just installed as the 11th president of Lane College.

Dr. Comer is a Jackson native who came back to lead the college in his own hometown. He holds a PhD in Urban Higher Education from Jackson State University, a Master of Business Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

Before higher education, he spent 35 years at FedEx and retired as Vice President, Decision Science & Analytics and Operations Analysis. In that role he worked with Tesla, Inc.’s research team to match the design of the Tesla electric semi truck to FedEx’s operational needs, and over his tenure he led work across data analytics, marketing, finance, strategic planning, and project management.

Comer has served Lane College as interim president since July 2024. In April 2026, rather than open a traditional presidential search, the Board of Trustees appointed him to the permanent role, citing his stewardship, the stability of the institution under his watch, and his understanding of its mission.

“Stewardship is not simply about leading people through a moment; it is about building a culture that outlives the moment,” Dr. Comer said. “We are making decisions that honor our history, respond to this moment and position the College for a future defined by excellence, innovation and enduring impact.”

His record with HBCUs did not start at Lane. He has given decades of personal time to the boards of LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis and Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He is also a Silver Life member of the NAACP and a member of the National Black MBA Association.

The ceremony on Friday, August 21, 2026 closed a multi-day celebration themed “A Moment In Time. A Legacy In Motion,” which drew trustees, national dignitaries, business and community leaders, alumni, and supporters to campus. The week included a Voices of Leadership Speaker Series featuring alumnus and business executive Jesse J. Tyson, a day of community service in which students, volunteers, and Mr. and Miss Lane College worked across Jackson, and a Presidential Scholarship Gala hosted by actor Lamman Rucker with a performance by Grammy-winning artist Chrisette Michele, with proceeds going to student scholarships.

Lane College also announced during the celebration that it has earned designation as an All-Steinway School, a distinction held by a small number of institutions worldwide for the quality of their music education programs.

Founded in 1882 by the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Lane College has spent 144 years preparing students through its accredited academic programs, guided by the motto Esse Quam Videri, “To Be Rather Than to Seem.” Achievement in every field of human endeavor is the objective Kappa Alpha Psi sets for its members, and Comer now carries it into the presidency of the college that raised him.