The four Black faculty in new roles or posts are Malinda Wilson-Swoope at Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida, Peter Ukpokodu at the University of Kansas, Norrisa Haynes at Yale Medical School, and Fousseni Chabi-Yo in the School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Here is this week’s roundup of African Americans who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Dr. Laurencin, who holds an endowed chair at the Univerity of Connecticut, is recognized as the leading international figure in polymeric biomaterials chemistry and engineering who has made extraordinary scientific contributions, while at the same time he has had profound contributions to improving human health.
Taking on new administrative duties relating to diversity are Frederick Wherry at Princeton University in New Jersey, Alex Wood at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, and Reginald Miles at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.
Tracey Denean Sharpley-Whiting was named vice provost at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and Nontsikelelo Mutiti was named director of graduate studies at the Yale School of Art. Noémie Ndiaye was named to an endowed assistant professorship at the University of Chicago and Shola K. Roberts is joining the faculty at Arizona State University.
The new administrators are Zakiya Brown at Lincoln University in Missouri, Larz Roberts at the University of Mississippi, Quincy Rose-Sewell at Pueblo Community College in Colorado, Ashli Johnson at Howard University, Darrin Q. Rankin at Jarvis Christian Univerity, Deborah Mauristhene at Boston College, and Kendric D. Stewart at Southern Unversity.
Baron Kelly was appointed to the Vilas Distinguished Professor of Theatre and Dance at the University of Wisconsin. Roxane Gay was appointed to the Gloria Steinem Endowed Chair at Rutgers University in New Jersey and Cherene Sherrard-Johnson was appointed the E. Wilson Lyon Professor of the Humanities at Pomona College in California.
Taking on new roles relating to diversity are Darryl C. Mace at Alvernia College in Reading, Pennsylvania, Dominique A. Quarles at Georgia Southern University, Lydia Contreras at the University of Texas at Austin, Myron Burr at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, and Lakesha Butler at University of Florida Health.
The Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award is given annually to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to international education at public land-grant institutions.
Stephen Best is the new director of the Center for the Humanities at the University of California, Berkeley. Lakeyta Bonnette-Bailey will co-direct the Center for the Advancement of Students and Alumni at Georgia State University and Desmond Upton Patton was named to an endowed chair at the University of Pennsylvania.
The new appointees are Derrick Magee at North Carolina Central University, Qubieinique Greer at Lincoln University (Missouri), Rosemonde Pierre-Louis at New York University, Michael Grant at Talladega College, Roy Gifford at Cleveland State University, Ronald Higgins at Yale, and Todd Campbell at Delta State University.
Marlese Durr, professor of sociology at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, was honored with the Jessie Bernard Award from the American Sociological Association. Dr. Durr has taught at Wright State University for 28 years. Her research and publications largely focus on African American women and managerial and labor markets in the public sector.
Taking on new roles relating to diversity are Chyke A. Doubeni at Ohio State University, Sonel Shropshire at Delaware State University, Phyllis Esposito at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, Mark Black at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio, and Sheila Lloyd at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts.
The three Black scholars who have been appointed to named professorships are Regina Stevens-Truss at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, Fousseni Chabi-Yo in the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Evelynn Hammons at Spelman College in Atlanta.
Those appointed to new administrative roles are Richard Cross at Lincoln University in Missouri, Madeline Brown at North Carolina A&T State University, Joe Leonard at Howard University, Birma Gaino at Clemson University, Courtney Cadore at Dillard University in New Orleans, and Shawn Odom at Winston-Salem State University.
Taking on new duties are Valerie Giddings at North Carolina A&T State University, Collin Stultz of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Robin R. Davis at Virginia Union University in Richmond, and Giselle Armond Abron at the University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine.
The four African Americans who have been named to diversity posts are Bruce B. Felder at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, Thelathia “Nikki” Young at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, Emanuela Kucik at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Annie McGowan at Texas A&M University.
Arwin Smallwood, a professor of history at North Carolina A&T State University, was named interim vice provost for undergraduate education. Courtney-Savali Andrews will join the faculty at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio and Jerelle Joseph will be an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at Princeton University.
Taking on new assignments are Branden Grimmett at Emory University, Allison Morgan Bryant at Howard University, Christine D. Lovely at Cornell University, Tauheedah Jackson at Harvard University, Norbert Rome at Dillard University in New Orleans, and Breanna McKnight at Clemson University in South Carolina.
Elizabeth West was appointed to the John B. and Elena Diaz-Verson Amos Distinguished Chair in English Letters at Georgia State University. Regina Stevens-Truss was appointed the Dorothy H. Heyl Senior Endowed Chair in Chemistry at Kalamazoo College and Deondra Rose was named the Kevin D. Gorter Associate Professor at Duke University.
Taking on new administrative responsibilities relating to diversity are Malika Carter at James Madson University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, E. Cheryl Ponder at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Tiffany Baffour at the University of Utah.
Taking on new duties are Jeremy Faulk at Lincoln University in Missouri, Edvige Jean-François, at Georgia State University, Wendell Philips at Fayetteville State University, Monique Michelle Dozier at the University of California, Riverside, Rodney L. Demery at Grambling State University, and Nakita Haynie at the University of Kansas.
Professor Allen joined the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2021 as associate dean for research and faculty development and professor of law. She was named interim dean of the law school earlier this year.
Taking on new roles relating to diversity are Rockell Brown Burton at the Newhouse School at Syracuse University in New York, Courtney Randall at the University of California, Davis, Rodney L. Parker at Loyola University Maryland, and Doris Fields at Eastern Michigan University.
Kristina G. Douglass was the Joyce and Doug Sherwin Early Career Professor in the Rock Ethics Institute and assistant professor of anthropology and African studies at Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Douglass' research focuses on investigating human-environment interaction in Madagascar.
The new administrators are Wesley Fountain at Fayetteville State, Samantha Jones at Mississippi State, Makda Fessahaye at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Johnny Bernard Hill at North Carolina Central, Roshaunda Ross-Orta at Vanderbilt, William Moultrie at West Carolina, and Jordan Brandt at the University of Kansas.
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, the Lawton and Nancy Smith Fichter Professor in the College of Fine Arts at Florida State University, received the Award of Merit for Achievement in the Performing Arts from the Association of Performing Arts Professionals.
Taking on new administrative roles relating to diversity issues are Heather Moore Roberson at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Lonnie Thompson at Polk State College in Winter Haven, Florida, and Jamie Parson at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina.
Appointed to new administrative posts are Roberto E. Bryan Jr. at Fayetteville State University, Alycia Marshall at the Community College of Philadelphia, Gloria Walker at Florida A&M University, Ronald Gray at Manhattan College, Alayna Hayes at Vanderbilt University, Brian James at the University of North Carolina, and Amanda Slaughter at Bethel University in Indiana.
Awarded annually by the Gruber Foundation, the prize honors scientists for major discoveries that have advanced the understanding of the nervous system. The prize, which includes a $500,000 award, will be presented to Dr. Brown and his co-recipients on November 13 at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.
The five Black scholars who have been assigned to new roles or duties are Antwan Jones at George Washington University, Kiron Skinner at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, Marty Baylor at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, Bunmi Olatunji at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and James W. Mickens at Harvard University.
Taking on new roles n higher education relating to diversity are Tomarra Adams at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, Damira Grady at Madson College in Wisconsin, Wendy Smooth at Ohio State University, and Cheryl Nuñez at the College of Wooster in Ohio.
Taking on new duties are Stephen W. Fusi at North Carolina Central University, Christina K. Brogdon at Michigan State, Christine Lovely at the University of California, Davis, Tyron L. Clinton at South Carolina State, Pamela Baldwin at Fayetteville State, Antonion Fletcher at Fort Valley State, and Dena Freeman-Patton at Morgan State.
Jonathan Bailey Holland was named to an endowed chair and as director of the School of Music at Carnegie Mellon Unversity in Pittsburgh. Deidre W. Evans, a computer scientist, will lead the Honors Program at Florida A&M University and Gwendolyn Scott-Jones was appointed to an endowed chair at Delaware State University.
Taking on new roles relating to diversity are Bobbie Porter at California State University, Dominguez Hills, Saint Rice at Washington University in St. Louis, Kent Guion at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and Pamela Braboy Jackson at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Salamishah Tillet, the Henry Rutgers Professor of Creative Writing and African American and African Studies, is being honored for her commentaries in The New York Times on "Black stories in art and popular culture - work that successfully bridges academic and nonacademic critical discourse."