Cheryl M Stevenson
Dr. Cheryl Stevenson is the Executive Director of the Tuskegee University Wesley Foundation and serves as Pastor of Bowen United Methodist Church. With a passion for ministry, mentorship, and service, Dr. Stevenson provides spiritual guidance, counseling, and leadership development to students at Tuskegee University. Her work is grounded in the mission of the United Methodist Church to develop future leaders who will impact the world through faith, integrity, and purpose.
Before entering ministry, Dr. Stevenson built a successful career in the pharmaceutical sciences, earning her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. She later pursued her Master of Divinity at the Interdenominational Theological Center, transitioning her focus toward spiritual and community leadership. In addition to her pastoral work, she is a published author and an advocate for sexual assault survivors, drawing from personal experience to empower others and promote healing.
A sought-after speaker and lifelong learner, Dr. Stevenson is known for her compassionate leadership and commitment to justice. She brings together academic excellence, lived experience, and spiritual insight to support students and congregants alike. Her journey reflects a deep calling to serve others and a belief in the transformative power of faith, education, and community.
• Honored Listee
• Interdenominational Theological Center
• University of Michigan
• Xavier University of Louisiana
• Rust College
• Black Clergy Women of the UMC
• National Council of Negro Women
• NAACP
• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated
• Black Methodists for Church Renewal
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the strong, influential women in my family—particularly my grandmothers and godmother. They instilled in me a deep sense of self-confidence and determination, even in the face of societal challenges. Their resilience and encouragement taught me to believe in myself and to push forward, no matter the obstacles.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received was to never give up. As a Black female growing up in the South, I was forewarned that life would not be easy. But the women in my life did not allow me to use my race or gender as excuses to doubt my ability to be successful in life. As I advanced professionally, whether in the pharmaceutical industry or the church, I often found I was the only person in the room who looked like me. But because I had been positively influenced by people who told me anything is possible, I have been successful wherever life has taken me.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women today to make learning a continuous process. It should not end when you finish a course or earn a degree. Some of the most valuable lessons I have learned have come from people I have met along my journey. Always be willing to listen to others, learn new things and find new and different ways to do things. Women who are called to ministry in the church today must be willing to step out on faith, using the authority they have been given to lead God's people.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge facing the church today is reclaiming membership post-pandemic. Many who left the church when its doors closed during the COVID-19 pandemic never returned. Their reasons are as varied as the people themselves, but it provides an opportunity to find new ways of ministering to a new generation as well as using new ideas and methods to reclaim those who left.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I most value integrity and transparency in the people with whom I interact. I have come to appreciate people telling me what is in my best interest, even if it is not what I want to hear. And especially since I have entered a vocation where my words carry great weight, I try to make certain I find a way to honest and upfront with my students and congregants, while also being empathic and cognizant of their feelings. I treat people the way I want them to treat me.