As a young intern at a juvenile facility in Florida, Camille Gibson noticed something deeply troubling: despite having rehearsed test answers with the boys she tutored, many weren’t even attempting to complete their written exams. The reason? They couldn’t read. “Some of them were in 12th grade, about to graduate. What happened?”
Those early observations shaped the course of Dr. Gibson’s career and her life’s work. Today, she is the Endowed Professor of Juvenile Justice at Prairie View A&M University and the newly appointed dean of the Graduate School.
Dr. Gibson’s path from the mountains of Mandeville, Jamaica, to PVAMU’s senior leadership team is a story of purpose, perseverance, and passion. She earned her undergraduate degree in Criminology from the University of South Florida, later completing a PhD in Criminal Justice at the City University of New York, inspired by her desire to understand and disrupt cycles of delinquency among African American youth. Her dissertation explored the connection between student-teacher relationships and Black male delinquency.
“In Jamaica, teachers could be more impactful than parents,” she said. “I had observed students from various circumstances, where the parents were low-income and uneducated, but their children, with the guidance of teachers, progressed to professions.”
“In Jamaica, teachers could be more impactful than parents.”
“In Jamaica, teachers could be more impactful than parents.”
That belief in the power of education continues to drive her work.
“This is why I came here and have stayed here – to encourage students, faculty, and staff to think of trajectories they may not have envisioned as possible for themselves.”
Over the course of her time at PVAMU, Dr. Gibson has led as an educator, scholar, and administrator. She is the first faculty member in the College of Juvenile Justice to rise through the ranks to full professor and be named endowed chair. She has also served as executive director of the Texas Juvenile Crime Prevention Center and has held leadership positions in several national academic organizations.
Her research spans juvenile justice, emergency management, cybersecurity, domestic violence, gangs, and child abuse. More recently, she has worked with colleagues across disciplines on bias detection in artificial intelligence.
When she was appointed interim dean of the Graduate School, University Provost Dr. Aashir Nasim noted that her leadership contributed to the College of Juvenile Justice doubling its research funding, creating new opportunities for student mentorship, research, and global engagement.
“I want to leave a meaningful impact in the world.”
“I want to leave a meaningful impact in the world.”
Dr. Gibson remains deeply committed to mentoring students from enrollment through graduation, guided by her understanding of how education shapes life trajectories.
“There is a strong correlation between academic disengagement and delinquency,” she said. “I want to leave a meaningful impact in the world.”
At PVAMU, that impact is already evident in the students she has taught, the faculty she has mentored, and the programs she has helped shape and lead. For Dr. Gibson, the work is never just about titles or roles. It’s about showing up, lifting others, and modeling what is possible.
Now in her 25th year at the University, Dr. Gibson continues to champion education as a vehicle for justice and transformation. Whether advancing research, leading academic initiatives, or supporting colleagues, her approach is rooted in the development of others’ potential – especially students.
“Students keep me young,” she said. “They make me laugh. And I learn a lot from them.”
With her appointment as dean and continued service as an endowed professor, Dr. Gibson is poised to shape the next generation of scholars and leaders just as she always has: by seeing their potential before they see it themselves.