The board of trustees of Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas, has chosen Roderick L. Smothers as the 14th president of the historically Black educational institution. According to the latest Department of Education data, there are 556 students enrolled at the college. African Americans make up about 90 percent of the enrollments and women make up two thirds of the student body.
Dr. Smothers has been serving as vice president of advancement at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in higher education administration, and doctorate in educational leadership, research, and development, all from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
Artee Williams, chair of the board of trustees of Philander Smith College, said in making the announcement of the appointment that Dr. Smothers “is the right choice to continue the institution’s forward movement, to build upon its rich heritage, and to sustain its esteemed legacy.”
Dr. Smothers will become president of the college in January.
