Sonja Stills
“One of the big things as far as my vision is being able to story tell,” Stills says. “And so, with the initiatives with Pride Month, with Title IX, is telling the story of the conference, its students, its administrators, and how we get to where we are. So, that has been a big part of what we’re trying to do as we move forward with going into Hispanic/Latino month and reaching out to the students and telling their story — about being Hispanic or Latino at a historically Black college and university.
“Part of that recognition has to be telling those stories and encouraging the staff to really listen when you’re interacting with students during championships or whatever, and you hear these stories,” she continues. “Let’s tell those stories graphically [and] visually on our social media platforms.”
Stills stepped into her current roles in January 2022, but she is not new to the workings of the MEAC. Over the last 20 years, she’s held several positions within the organization, including chief operating officer, chief of staff, senior woman administrator, and senior associate commissioner for administration and compliance. She served as senior woman administrator at Hampton University from 1999 to 2002, before joining the MEAC.
Being the first female commissioner has been amazing, says Stills, adding that she wanted to pay it forward.
“It’s a humbling experience because […] people say you’re a trailblazer, and I’m like I haven’t even got down the trail yet,” Stills says. “But it’s amazing […] just being here to have this opportunity to help other females get to be where I am. I might be the first, but I’m not the last. And I should not be the last. And so, I want to provide those opportunities for women to be able to sit in my seat or be the first wherever they intend to be in the future.”
Stills says there are increasingly more African American men in leadership, but she is the only African American female commissioner in Division I.
