Maurice Gipson has been selected to serve as interim president of Philander Smith University.
Philander Smith University is a historically Black institution in Little Rock, Arkansas. The HBCU enrolls nearly 800 undergraduate students, 85 percent of whom are Black.
Dr. Gipson’s career in higher education has centered around institutional advancement, diversity initiatives, and community engagement. He comes to his new role from the University of Missouri, where he has served as vice chancellor of the division of inclusion, diversity, and equity for the past four years.
Prior to his role with the University of Missouri, Dr. Gipson held a similar position with Arkansas State University, serving as vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement for five years. His other previous academic posts including special assistant to the vice president for diversity and community engagement at the University of Texas and institutional advancement and diversity consultant at historically Black Langston University in Oklahoma.
Dr. Gipson holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Louisiana State University, a master’s degree in history from Missouri State University, a juris doctorate from the Southern University Law Center in Louisiana, and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Mississippi.
