Millsaps College has announced the appointment of the Reverend Susannah Grubs-Carr as Dean of the Chapel and Director of Church Relations, effective July 1. She succeeds the Reverend Doctor Ricky James, who has served the college with distinction.
“We are pleased to welcome the Reverend Carr into this important role, and we are deeply grateful for the Reverend James’s exemplary leadership over the past three years,” said Frank Neville, president of Millsaps College. “The Dean of the Chapel is a pivotal presence on our campus, and the Reverend Carr brings great energy and experience to the position. I look forward to working closely with her to support our students, strengthen our relationships with the church, and deepen our engagement with the broader community.”
During his tenure, Reverend James led Millsaps’ religious life with care and conviction, fostering meaningful traditions and strengthening relationships across campus and beyond. He will depart Millsaps to assume a new role as Senior Pastor at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Madison, Mississippi.
“Millsaps will always be a deeply meaningful place to me, first as a student and then as Dean of the Chapel. What makes this community so special is its students and the traditions that bring us together in thoughtful, genuine ways,” Ricky said. “I am profoundly grateful for the relationships, conversations and shared moments of faith and reflection that have shaped my time here. As I take this next step, I do so with great confidence in Reverend Carr, whose thoughtful leadership and care for community will serve Millsaps well. The Chapel and our campus are in excellent hands.”
As Dean of the Chapel, Reverend Carr will oversee religious life on campus and serve as Director of Church Relations, supporting Millsaps’ longstanding commitment to faith, service and community engagement.
“I am honored by this appointment to be part of the Millsaps College community. As an alumna, Millsaps has certainly helped shape who I am, and I know first-hand what a special and transformative place it is,” Carr said. “I step into this role with gratitude, hope and a commitment to the ongoing work of cultivating a community where faith, learning and service flourish together.”
Reverend Carr is a native Mississippian and an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. A 1993 graduate of Millsaps, she holds both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology from Duke University’s Divinity School. With more than 25 years of experience in parish, chaplaincy and community ministry, she currently serves as the senior pastor of Wells Memorial United Methodist Church in Jackson. She brings a deep commitment to spiritual formation, pastoral care and community engagement.