In Memoriam: Michelle R. Howard-Vital, 1953-2018

Michelle R. Howard-Vital, the former president of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, died on August 21 at Duke Regional Hospital in North Carolina. She was 65 years old and had suffered from cancer.

Dr. Howard-Vital became Cheyney University’s eleventh and first woman president in 2007. She served in that role until 2014. During her tenure, she secured funding for a new 400-bed student residence hall and a LEED-certified science center and planetarium, which were the first structures built on campus in over 30 years.

In addition to her position at Cheyney University, Howard-Vital held a number of posts at various higher education institutions throughout the country such as the University of Illinois at Chicago, Harold Washington College, Chicago State University, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

After stepping down as president of Cheyney University, Dr. Howard-Vital was named provost at Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens. A year later, she was appointed interim president.

Dr. Howard-Vital earned her bachelor’s degree in English literature and her master’s degree in teaching English from the University of Chicago. She received a Ph.D. in public policy analysis from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Three African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Diversity Posts in Higher Education

Terrence Mitchell was appointed executive director for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice at Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. Faye Belgrave has been named vice president and chief diversity officer at Virginia Commonwealth University and Tammy Bennett is the inaugural vice president for inclusive excellence in philanthropy at the University of Cincinnati Foundation.

Federal Government Calls on States to End Funding Disparities at Black Land-Grant Universities

The federal government sent letters to 16 governors emphasizing the over $12 billion disparity in funding between land-grant Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and their non-HBCU land-grant peers in their states. Unequitable appropriated funding of the 1890 institutions in the states ranges from $172 million to $2.1 billion.

A Trio of Black Scholars in New Faculty Roles at Universities

The City College of New York has appointed Jervette R. Ward as director of the Black Studies Program. Scotti Branton is a new assistant professor of communication at the University of Arkansas, and professor Danille Taylor was appointed director of the Clark Atlanta University Art Museum.

Shaw University to Expand Its Presence to Research Triangle Park

The collaboration will secure Shaw University a dedicated office space within Frontier RTP innovation campus, located in the heart of the city's new vibrant downtown area. The space will include private offices and an administrative area dedicated to Shaw University, as well as classroom space.

Featured Jobs