09/01/2026
In memoriam - Dr. Deborah B. Cureton, May 9, 1951 ~ August 27, 2026
Dr. Deborah B. Cureton started her collegiate life at USC Lancaster in 1969 after graduating from Barr Street High School. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Carolina and later completed her Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Cureton returned to USC Lancaster as a faculty member in 1980 and was eventually named associate dean of academic and student affairs, a position she held until 2001. During her time at USC Lancaster, she created the Academic Success Center (ASC) and collaborated with colleagues to submit the campus’s first TRiO grant. The ASC and TRiO programs have become celebrated and integral parts of campus life and critical mechanisms for student support and success. She also helped guide the Black Awareness Student Group. The Educational Foundation of USC Lancaster administers a scholarship named for her and in honor of the devoted mentoring she provided to so many students.
In 2001, Dr. Cureton was named campus dean and chief executive officer at the University of Wisconsin-Richland. She held that position for seven years, returned to Lancaster for one year then went back to Wisconsin to serve as acting campus dean for one year. She was named an Outstanding Woman of Color in Education by the University of Wisconsin system in 2010.
After retirement, Dr. Cureton returned to Lancaster where she enjoyed travel and community service. She chaired and served on numerous community boards and was president of the Educational Foundation of USC Lancaster. She once again answered the call at USC Lancaster and came out of retirement to serve as interim associate dean of academic and student affairs from 2019-2020. Dr. Cureton’s dedication as a faculty member and administrator at USC Lancaster changed the campus for the better. Her work mentoring students personally and academically left a deep and positive impact and she will be greatly missed.
