serve as Interim President until the search for a new President was completed. He was succeeded by Rodney D. Bennett, the first African-American appointed to lead a historically white institution of higher learning in Mississippi. Community work Dr. Lucas is active in civic and charitable organizations as well as the United Methodist Church. He served as the Lay Leader for the Mississippi Conference from 2000–2004 and has served on the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, and on the Board of Directors of Africa University in Zimbabwe. He has served as Chair of the Center for Ministry at Millsaps College. Along with other Methodist visionaries who studied at Southern during the 1950s, Lucas attributes great influence to the teachings and leadership of the Rev. Sam S Barefield, Jr, who was at that time Wesley Foundation Director of Southern. Dr. Lucas served as Chair of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art Board of Trustees, Chair of the Hattiesburg Salvation Army Advisory Board, Chair of the Mississippi Arts Commission; Chair of the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters; Chair of the Board of Directors of the Hattiesburg Area Community Foundation, and has served on the Mississippi Humanities Council. He is a member of the Hattiesburg Convention Center Commission. References External links History of USM Lucas at USM https://web.archive.org/web/20110719045942/http://www.mississippi.edu/newsarchive/newsstory.asp?ID=664 Living people Florida State University alumni University of Southern Mississippi faculty Year of birth missing (living people) American academicians