Known for advocating and aspiring to improve student success, she is a Rattler with many striking positions.
Letitia McClellan is the assistant director of Equal Opportunity programs at Florida A&M as well as the Title IX coordinator. These programs are designed to make a safe space for students to discuss sensitive topics and issues.
A native of Chattahoochee, less than an hour west of Tallahassee, McClellan is a product of a small, predominantly Black town. She says she wanted to change the narrative of being vocal in the Black community.
“Growing up, you were always told, ‘What goes on in my house, stays in my house.’ I wanted to change that negative mindset in our community, to create a safe space for children to effectively communicate their feelings,” she said.
McClellan comes to her position as the Title IX coordinator with a track record of leadership, management and, most importantly, patience.
“I started my journey as a child welfare supervisor in 2004,” McClellan said. “While working with child welfare, I worked with sexual and domestic violence victims, but I wanted something different,” she said. “I wanted to transition from working with children and families to working with the adult population, which ultimately drew me into Florida A&M.”
Although a two-time graduate of FAMU, earning her bachelor’s degree in health-care management and an MBA, McClellan had not stepped foot on FAMU’s campus since before the start of the pandemic. McClellan finally decided to close her decade-long journey working in the child welfare arena in 2019. Upon graduating with her MBA in 2020, she transitioned into her current role at FAMU.
McClellan started working in the office of Equal Opportunity in February of 2022. She has made it her mission to change the narrative of speaking out against sexual abuse and misconceptions about Title IX.
Title IX protects individuals from discrimination based on sex in educational programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Title IX also prohibits sex-bias harassment, which may include acts of verbal, nonverbal or physical aggression, intimidation, or hostility based on sex or sex-stereotypes. Title IX covers various violations including stalking, quid pro quo, sexual harassment, and more.
Letrecha Scott, the director of Equal Opportunity at FAMU, shared her thoughts on McClellan’s work ethic.
“Mrs. McClellan is phenomenal. She takes pride in what she does,” Scott said. “With her previous experience with working for the child welfare state headquarters, she has added value and knowledge to our department. McClellan is always seeking ways to bridge the gap between our office and students to educate them on the importance of Title IX,” she said.
With a high volume of sexual assault cases occurring on college campuses, McClellan strives to make students feel more comfortable speaking about the difficulties of sexual harassment.
McClellan and her staff have hosted several events to educate the FAMU community on the Title IX law and Equal Opportunity program through campus-wide training and covering the new student orientation sessions. McClellan hopes to launch her ambassador program, Rattlers Strike Against Sexual Misconduct, which allows students to educate their peers on the department.
To report a problem or contact McClellan visit the Office of Equal Opportunity in the Foote Hilyer-Administration Center | Suite 308; or call the office at (850) 599-3076.