Meet Dr. Bobby E. Leach
[By: Manuela Espinosa]
Meet Dr. Bobby E. Leach, the first African-American administrator at Florida State University and the namesake of our beloved Leach Student Recreation Center.
He received an undergraduate degree in math and sciences from Benedict College, a master’s degree in math from Morgan State University, and a Ph.d. in higher education administration from the Union of Experimenting Colleges and Universities. Between his undergraduate and graduate careers, Dr. Leach served in the U.S. Army and gained special recognition for being an outstanding track and field athlete. Later, he was appointed as the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Human Relations, where he implemented his abilities to bring communities together, specifically in relation to minorities. He became Vice-Principal at Carver Highs School during the decade leading up to his arrival at Florida State University in 1977. He worked as Florida State’s Vice President of Student Affairs from 1977-1988 and left a major impact on our campus community.
During his time here, he was the highest-ranked administrator, advocated for the expansion and renovation of the Oglesby Union, and expanded the university’s intramural sports programs. He strongly endorsed the mission of encouraging students to cultivate their own understanding of ethics and values, and what it means to them as individuals. In some of his most well-known speeches, he promoted the important values found through a college experience. Because of his efforts, the Leach Student Recreation Center was built.
