Maurice Edington has been named the tenth president of the University of the District of Columbia. He will take office on August 1.
The University of the District of Columbia is a historically Black educational institution. It enrolls nearly 3,000 undergraduate students and about 500 graduate students. African Americans make up 59 percent of the undergraduate student body.
“I am extremely honored and excited to be selected as the next president of the University of the District of Columbia,” Dr. Edington said. “The UDC mission aligns perfectly with my personal passion and commitment to serve students, transform lives, and uplift communities. Areas of focus will include increasing student success, increasing support for faculty, expanding academic program offerings, increasing research productivity, enrollment and degree production, fundraising, external relations, and economic development. My vision is that UDC will be recognized as a leading HBCU, a first-choice institution for students, a top destination for employers and funding agencies, and an economic driver for the district and surrounding areas.”
Dr. Eddington was the executive vice president and chief operating officer at Florida A&M University. In his 25 years at FAMU, Dr. Edington rose from assistant professor to being the second-highest-ranked administrator at the Tallahassee campus. During his tenure, he served as provost and vice president for academic affairs, vice president for strategic planning, analysis, and institutional effectiveness, founding dean of the College of Science and Technology, chair of the department of chemistry, and director of the Office of Engineering and Science Support.
A native of Berkeley, California, Dr. Eddington completed his bachelor’s in chemistry at Fisk University in Nashville. He completed a Ph.D. in physical chemistry at Vanderbilt University in Nashville in 1997.