Seven Black Americans in Higher Education Who Have Been Appointed to Administrative Posts

Zakiya Brown has been promoted to vice president of student affairs and enrollment management at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. Dr. Brown joined the staff at Lincoln University in 2019 as the Title IX coordinator and was promoted in June 2021 to dean of students, chief diversity officer, and Title IX coordinator.

A native of Cleveland, Oho, Dr. Brown received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia University in Portland and a doctorate in higher education administration from Northcentral University.

Larz Roberts was named director of the S. Gale Denley Student Media Center at the Univerity of Mississippi. He was an adviser to student media at Arkansas State University.

Roberts is a graduate of Florida A&M Univerity. He earned a master’s degree at the University of Mississippi.

Quincy Rose-Sewell is the new vice president of academic support at Pueblo Community College in Colorado. She was the assistant vice president for academic affairs at Baltimore City Community College. Prior to that, she was the dean of the College of Education at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Rose-Sewell earned a bachelor’s degree in primary education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, both from Delaware State University. She holds an educational doctorate from Wilmington University in Delaware.

Ashli Johnson is the inaugural executive director of the Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership at the Howard University School of Business in Washington, D.C. She has served in leadership roles for hospitality programs at Virginia State University, Georgetown University, and the University of Central Florida. She also served as the assistant dean of the University of Houston’s Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant Management.

Johnson is a graduate of the University of West Florida. She earned a master’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from Florida International University.

Darrin Q. Rankin is the new vice president for enrollment management and retention at Jarvis Christian Univerity in Hawkins, Texas. Most recently, he was chancellor and south regional vice president of Western Governors University. Earlier, he served for 11 years as vice president for student services at Lone Star College-Kingwood in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Rankin is a graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans. He earned a master’s degree in higher education administration from Syracuse University in New York and a Ph.D. in urban higher education administration from Jackson State University in Mississippi.

Deborah Mauristhene is the new associate director of Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development’s Urban Outreach Initiatives. She was assistant director of operations at Simmons University’s College of Social Sciences, Policy and Practice.

A native of Haiti, Dr. Mauristhene holds a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees, and an educational doctorate from Northeastern University in Boston.

Kendric D. Stewart was recently appointed director of alumni affairs for Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He most recently served as director of security operations at Stanford University’s Children’s Hospital in California.

Dr. Stewart received a bachelor’s degree in urban forestry, a master’s degree in social sciences, and a Ph.D. in urban forestry and natural resources, all from Southern University.

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