Alumni
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Celebrating the Life and Legacy of
Sybil Collins Mobley, Ph.D., Dean Emerita 
About Sybil Collins Mobley, Ph.D., Dean Emerita
Sybil Collins Mobley, Ph.D., Dean Emerita, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) School of Business and Industry was the epitome of a “Phenomenal Woman,” trailblazing unbelievable paths in higher education, business education, and the world of business. She was born on October 14, 1925, in Shreveport, LA, to Melvin and Cora Collins; and, she married James Otis Mobley. Their three children are James Mobley Jr., Janet Mobley Sermon, Ph.D., and Melvin Mobley.
Dean Mobley earned a bachelor’s degree from Bishop College in 1945, a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 1961, a Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Illinois in 1963, and several honorary doctorates. She started at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical College (FAMCEE) as a secretary in 1945. After receiving her post-baccalaureate degrees, Dr. Mobley rose from the ranks of a professor to department chair (1971-1974) to founding dean of the School of Business and Industry (SBI) from 1974 – 2003 (her fourth baby). During her tenure as SBI’s dean, she implemented her world renowned Professional Development (PD) Program, a leadership development program designed to teach students behavioral competencies to complement their academic preparation. To support her innovative PD and academic curricula, Dean Mobley started the SBI Big Board, which now consists of over 100 plaques. Each plaque on the SBI Big Board represents a minimum donation of $100,000 endowed for scholarships. The earnings from the SBI Big Board accounts still enable SBI to provide scholarships to its “Superstars” today. As a result of her mega contributions to FAMU, Dean Mobley received the designation of Dean Emerita after her retirement.
In addition to serving as a master administrator in higher education and being a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Florida, Dean Mobley served on the boards of directors of Anheuser-Busch Company, Champion International Corporation, Hershey Foods Corporation, Sears Roebuck & Company, Southwestern Bell Corporation, Dean Witter, and Discover. Dean Mobley and her husband, James Mobley, a successful entrepreneur, were also pioneers in the Tallahassee Civil Rights movement. Some of Dean Mobley’s other affiliations included Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., the International Association of Black Business Educators, the National Association of Black Accountants, Florida Women’s Hall of Fame, and the FAMU SBI Hall of Fame to name a few. Dean Mobley served as a consultant to the United States Agency for International Development for multiple African countries, and she received the FAMU Lifetime Achievement Award among numerous other awards.
Through her tenacious and assiduous efforts, Dean Mobley positively changed the personal, economic, and professional trajectory of hundreds of thousands of individuals, including her students, faculty, and staff – past, present, and future. Successful SBIans can be found in all industry sectors from education to the C-Suite of multinational corporations, and from entrepreneurs to non-profits all around the globe. Dean Mobley named the SBI alumni the “SBI Force” because she said that we would be a “force to be reckoned with” in the global economy. The ripple effects of Dean Mobley’s commitment to excellence in business education and the world of business have been and will be felt for decades.
Job well done, Dean Mobley. Rest in peace!
Love, Your SBI Family!
Farewell to Dean Mobley
Please contact us if you have any questions, positive comments or condolences at sbi@famu.edu.
Please make your 100% tax-deductible donations to the
1974 Sybil C. Mobley Memorial Fund here!
For electronic donations, visit the web page below.
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/?key=famu
In the “Please direct my donation to” drop down menu, select
1974 Sybil C. Mobley Memorial Fund
To mail donations, send to the address below.
School of Business and Industry Dean’s Office
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
105 Sybil C. Mobley Business Complex
500 Gamble Street
Tallahassee, FL 32307
Memo: 1974 Sybil C. Mobley Memorial Fund