Remembering Dr. Charleyse S. Pratt, 1948 - 2017

From CSU President Ronald M. Berkman:

It is with great sadness that I share with you the news that Dr. Charleyse S. Pratt passed away after a long illness.

Loved by all who knew her, Dr. Pratt was the assistant vice president for inclusion and multicultural engagement at CSU. The inclusiveness and diversity of our campus community rank among CSU’s greatest assets, thanks in no small measure to the leadership and vision of Dr. Pratt. She championed these values, ensuring that everyone here would be treated with dignity and respect, in an environment with a wealth of opportunities for all to succeed.

Dr. Pratt also was the founding director of CSU’s Sullivan-Deckard Scholars Opportunity Program, which provides scholarships for students who have aged out of the foster care system. She was the catalyst behind this groundbreaking initiative, launched in 2015 and now a national model for enhancing educational opportunities for a student population that faces more challenges than most.

The program has its home in The Pratt Center, named in honor of Dr. Pratt. I am so grateful that she was able to join us for the dedication ceremony, held only three weeks ago in Rhodes Tower. Thanks to her, students who age out of foster care will always have a welcoming home at CSU.

Dr. Pratt previously served as director of CSU’s Learning Communities Programs and Partnerships. In this role, she worked closely with first-year students and oversaw the formation of thematic education communities, curriculum development and co-curricular activities.

A longtime resident of the Cleveland area, Dr. Pratt was a graduate of Glenville High School. She attended Wittenberg University, where she majored in Business Administration and Economics and earned a bachelor of arts degree. She later earned a master’s degree in organizational development and analysis and a doctor of philosophy in Organizational Behavior from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management.

At CSU, Dr. Pratt made a point of having her students commit to memory “The Scholars Creed,” adapted from a book by the great educator Marva Collins. It concludes:

Without education, man is a slave,
a savage wandering from here to there,
believing whatever he is told. 
Time and chance come to us all. 
I can either be hesitant or courageous.
I can swiftly stand up and shout: 
This is my time and place. 
I will accept the challenge.

Dr. Pratt rose to this challenge and lived by these words, each and every day. By her example, she inspired others to do the same, making a positive and profound difference in countless lives. She believed not only in the transformative power of higher education — she believed in all of us.

The Cleveland State University family will never forget Charleyse Pratt, our mentor, colleague and friend. Please join me in extending our deepest sympathies to her family and all who were truly privileged to know her.