John Dozier was named the twenty-first President of Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina. He will take office on July 17.
Columbia College enrolls just over 1,000 undergraduate students and slightly more than 300 graduate students, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 41 percent of the undergraduate student body.
Dr. Dozier, who graduate from high school in Columbia, South Carolina, stated that “Columbia College has called me home, and I cannot be more humbled or grateful. The college is poised for a bright future, and I’m honored for the opportunity to be a part of its growth. With a committed faculty and staff and a student body marked by innovation and community service, I’m excited to see where we can go together.”
Dr. Dozier has been serving as community and equity officer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before taking on that role in 2020, he was chief diversity officer and senior associate provost at the University of South Carolina and president of Kennedy-King College in Chicago.
Dr. Dozier received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from South Carolina State University. He went on to earn an MBA and an educational doctorate from DePaul University in Chicago.