Dr. Lancelot Gooden is the Provost for the Osceola and Poinciana Campuses at Valencia College, a role he has held since June 2022. With over 20 years of experience in education across various sectors, Dr. Gooden brings visionary leadership to his position, emphasizing innovation and excellence in preparing students for success in a rapidly evolving world. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Mathematics from Saint Augustine's University, a Master's Degree in Math Education from Campbell University, and a Doctor of Education in Adult and Community College Leadership from North Carolina State University. Dr. Gooden is a dedicated educational leader with a proven track record of spearheading initiatives to ignite enthusiasm and empowerment among underserved youth and women in (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) STEM fields. Dr. Gooden has a successful track record of leading STEM initiatives to increase students' exposure, hands-on learning, scholarships, and transfer in STEM fields.
Before joining Valencia College, Dr. Gooden served as Dean of Building, Engineering, and Skilled Trades at Durham Technical Community College and as a Department Chair at Johnston Community College in North Carolina, where he taught mathematics and oversaw the engineering and computer science programs, mathematics department, and various general education disciplines. In addition to his campus leadership role, he serves as a Trustee for the HCA Poinciana Hospital Board and The Osceola Chamber of Commerce, demonstrating his commitment to community engagement and recognizing the interconnectedness between education, healthcare, local business, and industries.
A native of Jamaica, Dr. Gooden is married to Kutina, and they have two lovely children, Matthaeus and Celine. He enjoys track and field as a former NCAA collegiate athlete in his leisure time and passionately supports the Jamaican national Reggae Boyz & Girlz soccer teams.