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The First African American President of Eureka College in Illinois

The board of trustees of Eureka College in Illinois has named Jamel Santa Cruze Wright as the 27th president of the college. Dr. Wright has been serving as interim president of the college since July 2016. She is the first woman and the first African American to lead the college. Founded in 1855 by abolitionists, Eureka College enrolls about 700 students. Blacks make up about 5 percent of the student body. Ronald Reagan graduated from Eureka College in 1932.

Dr. Wright first came to Eureka College in 2014 as chief diversity officer and vice president for strategic and diversity initiatives. Previously, she was a full-time faculty member in the department of communication at Saint Louis University. Earlier, Dr. Wright served on the faculty at Boston College.

Dr. Wright is a graduate of what is now Missouri Western State University in Saint Joseph. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Kansas.

Below is a video of Dr. Wright discussing her view for the future of Eureka College.

https://youtu.be/K4rUW4DTsjo&w=570

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