Four African American Faculty Members Who Are Taking on New Roles in Higher Education

On July 1, Chanita Hughes-Halbert will join the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Southern California as associate director for cancer equity, a newly created position. She will also join the faculty at the university’s Keck School of Medicine as a professor and vice chair of research in the department of preventive medicine. She has been serving as a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, co-leader of the Cancer Control Program, holder of the AT&T Distinguished Endowed Chair at the Hollings Cancer Center, and associate dean for assessment, evaluation, and quality improvement at the College of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Dr. Hughes-Halbert is a summa cum laude graduate of Hampton University in Virginia. She holds master’s and doctoral degrees from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Colman Domingo, a noted actor, director and playwright, will be joining the faculty of the School of Dramatic Arts at the University of Southern California. He will begin this fall as a guest lecturer and master artist for students in both the undergraduate and graduate populations. Once filming has wrapped on previous commitments, he will begin teaching full time in the classroom in 2022.

A graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia, Domingo has taught at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Paula Hammond has been appointed an Institute Professor, the highest honor bestowed upon faculty members at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a professor and chair of the department of chemical engineering at MIT. She is the first woman and the first African American to hold the post.

Professor Hammond holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a Ph.D. from MIT. Dr. Hammond earned a master’s degree at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Stephanie Luster-Teasley, professor and chair of the department of civil, architectural, and environmental engineering at North Carolina A&T State University, has been assigned the additional duties of vice provost for undergraduate education. She joined the faculty at the university in 2004.

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at North Carolina A&T State University, Dr. Luster-Teasley earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering and a Ph.D. in environmental engineering from Michigan State University.

Related Articles

1 COMMENT

  1. Good to see Black women in the “STEM” fields making names for themselves and winning accolades for their accomplishments in disciplines that are not our traditional “strong suit” as a people.

    Go ahead, ladies — “with yo’ bad selves!”

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Street Named to Honor the First Black Football Player at the University of Memphis

Rogers walked-on to the football team at what was then Memphis State University in 1968, making him the institution's first Black football player. After graduating in 1972, he spent the next four decades as a coach and administrator with Memphis-area schools.

In Memoriam: Clyde Aveilhe, 1937-2024

Dr. Aveilhe held various student affairs and governmental affairs positions with Howard University, California State University, and the City University of New York.

Ending Affirmative Action May Not Produce a More Academically Gifted Student Body

Scholars from Cornell University have found removing race data from AI applicant-ranking algorithms results in a less diverse applicant pool without meaningfully increasing the group's academic merit.

Saint Augustine’s University Will Appeal Accreditation Decision

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has recently voted to remove Saint Augustine's University's accreditation. The university will maintain its accreditation during the appeals process. To remain accredited, the HBCU has until February 2025 to provide evidence of its financial stability.

Featured Jobs