Joyce Searcy

Joyce Searcy is the Founding Director of Community Relations at Belmont University, a role she currently holds.12 Born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, to an entrepreneurial family that founded the first Black hospital in the state, Searcy moved to Nashville at 17 to attend Fisk University for her undergraduate degree and Peabody College of Vanderbilt for her graduate degree.2

Career Highlights

• Taught in higher education, preparing students to become healthcare administrators2
• Served as CEO of Bethlehem Centers of Nashville for 22 years2
• Transitioned to Belmont University as Founding Director of Community Relations2
• Received the 2024 Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award1

Notable Achievements

• Established the Fisk-Belmont Social Justice Collaborative1
• Served as the first black president of the Nashville Public Library1
• Founded a neighborhood community development corporation1
• Launched a program to train minority women to serve on boards1
• Served on the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Taskforce1

Community Involvement

Searcy has served on numerous boards, including:

• Nashville Chamber of Commerce
• YWCA of the USA (Regional Vice-President of the Mid-States)
• Girl Scouts of the USA
• Metro Human Relations Commission
• Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee Women's Fund
• Nashville Public Library and Nashville Public Library Foundation2

Her dedication to diversity and inclusion has been recognized through various awards, including the Nashville Athena Award, Academy for Women of Achievement, and the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Diversity Award.2