Nine Black Scholars Taking on New Assignments

Roberta Waite, has been named executive director of the Stephen and Sandra Sheller 11th Street Family Health Services Center at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has been involved with the center since 2005 and currently serves as an associate professor.

Dr. Waite received a bachelor’s degree in nursing and an educational doctorate from Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree in adult psychiatric mental health nursing from the University of Pennsylvania.

Erika Augustine has been named the Robert J. Joynt Professor in Neurology at the University of Rochester. She will retain her joint appointments as associate professor of pediatrics and associate professor in the Center for Health and Technology.

Dr. Augustine holds a bachelor’s degree in biological anthropology from Harvard University and a medical doctorate from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Mukasa Mubirumusoke has been named an assistant professor in the Intercollegiate Department of Africana Studies at Claremont McKenna College in California. He was previously a visiting assistant professor at Grinnell College in Iowa.

Dr. Mubriumusoke holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Occidental College in Los Angeles, a master’s degree in philosophy from Boston College, and a Ph.D. from Emory University in Atlanta.

Morgan Jerald has been named assistant professor in the department of psychology at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. This will be her first teaching position in higher education.

Dr. Jerald is a summa cum laude graduate of Spelman College  in Atlanta, where she double majored in psychology and Spanish. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. in personality and social contexts psychology from the University of Michigan.

Michael Potts has been named to the Denzel Washington Chair in Theatre at Fordham University in New York. He recently starred alongside Washington in the well-received production of The Iceman Cometh on Broadway. He has been acting for more than 25 years and is known for his roles in HBO’s The Wire and Broadway’s The Book of Mormon.

Potts holds a bachelor’s degree from Colombia University and a master’s degree from the Yale University School of Drama.

Cornell Williams Brooks has been selected as a professor of the practice of public leadership and social justice at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is a civil rights attorney, an ordained minister, and the former president and CEO of the NAACP. Most recently, he was a visiting professor of social ethics, law, and justice movements at Boston University.

Professor Brooks holds a bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University in Mississippi, a master’s of divinity degree from Boston University, and a juris doctorate from Yale Law School.

Michael Steele has been named faculty fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University. He is a conservative political commentator and former chair of the Republican National Committee.

Steele holds a bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and a juris doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center.

Kiron Skinner has been appointed senior policy advisor to United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and director of policy planning, one of the most influential positions in the State Department. She is the Taube Professor of International Relations and Politics at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Skinner holds a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College, a bachelor’s degree from Sacramento City College, and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science and international relations from Harvard University.

Tiffany Gill, an associate professor of Africana studies and history at the University of Delaware, was named the university’s first Cochran Scholar. John and Patricia Cochran “were overwhelmed with Dr. Gill’s passion for commitment to inclusiveness” and were happy to “recognize her hard work and dedication.”

Dr. Gill holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies from Georgetown University and a Ph.D. in history with a focus on American studies and African American studies from Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Thurgood Marshall College Fund Partners With Aerospace Defense Startup

In partnership with Starburst, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund has launched a new accelerator program to encourage innovators from HBCUs and MSIs to pursue entrepreneurship in technology fields related to U.S. national security.

Two Black Scholars to Lead Faculty Affairs at Universities

Walter Parrish and Adanna Johnson are taking on new roles in faculty affairs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the University of the District of Columbia, respectively.

Xavier University of Louisiana Is the First HBCU to Offer a Varsity-Level Rowing Team

"Launching this team of athletes onto the competitive national stage is not just about rowing — it's about building a community, inspiring our students, and creating opportunities for growth both on and off the water," said the program's founders.

Six Black Leaders Appointed to Administrative Roles in Higher Education

Here is this week’s roundup of African Americans who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States. If you have news for our appointments section, please email the information to contact@jbhe.com.

Featured Jobs