Appointments & Awards

Emory University’s Carol Anderson to Receive the Gittler Prize from Brandeis University

The Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize honors those who have made outstanding and lasting scholarly contributions to racial, ethnic, and religious relationships. The award and a $25,000 prize will be presented at a ceremony on the Brandeis campus this coming fall.

Three Black Women Appointed to Administrative Posts Relating to Diversity

Taking on new position relating to diversity, equity and inclusion are Monique L. Akassi at West Liberty University in West Virginia, Sherrica Davis-Hunt at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and Ophelie Rowe-Allen at the University of New Haven in Connecticut.

Nikky Finney Selected to Receive the 2022 Thomas Robinson Prize for Southern Literature

Nikky Finney, the John H. Bennett Jr. Chair in Creative Writing and Southern Letters at the University of South Carolina, will be honored in April by the Spencer B. King Jr. Center for Southern Studies at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.

Four Black Scholars Who Are Taking on New Assignments at Major Universities

The Black scholars appointed to new posts are Deval L. Patrick at Harvard University, Kristie Soares at the University of Colorado Boulder, Kirsten Pai Buick at the University of New Mexico, and Jane Okech at the University of Vermont.

Six African Americans Who Have Been Named to Administrative Posts at Colleges and Universities

Taking on new administrative duties are Kareem S. Mumford at Rutgers University, L. Simone Collis at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, Jerry Womble at Fayetteville State University, Tennette Elie at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Tim H. Cox at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, and Tommy McMasters at Elizabeth City State University.

Cornell University Scholar Wins the Best Book Prize From the African Studies Association

Dr. Naminata Diabate is an associate professor of comparative literature at Cornell. The prize recognizes the most important scholarly work in African studies published in English and distributed in the United States during the preceding year.

Four African Americans Who Have Been Appointed Diversity Administrators in Higher Education

Taking on new roles as diversity officers are Charles E. Gibson III at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina, Kendra N. Cadogan at the State University of New York-Oswego, Donyell Roseboro at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and Keithen Mathis at Florida State University.

Eastern Connecticut State University Names Science Building After Its Former President

Serving as president from 1988 to 2006, Dr. David G. Carter was the first African American to lead a four-year institution of higher education in Connecticut and also in New England. He later served as chancellor of the state university system.

Five African Americans Who Are Taking on New Administrative Duties in Higher Education

The five African Americans in new administrative roles are Hector M. Molina at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, Ashley Irvin at Xavier University in New Orleans, Wayne Henry Bryant at Grambling State University in Louisiana, Jennifer Jarvis at Queens University of the City University of New York, and Gerald D. Shields at Kentucky State University.

Three African American Scholars Who Have Been Appointed to Named Professorships

The three African Americans appointed to named chairs are Kamia Chavis at the law school of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, Williams Clemons at the California Institute of Technology, and Monica Peek at the University of Chicago Medical School.

Three African American Scholars With New Faculty Assignments

Seretha Williams was appointed chair of the department of English and world languages at Augusta University in Georgia. Randle Pollard will teach at the law school at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and Robert Linton, II has been selected as chief medical officer at Howard University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Five Black Administrators Taking on New Duties at Universities

Taking on new administrative duties are Daniel T. Okoli at the University of California, Merced, Stacy Gregg at South Carolina State University, Toni Mooney Smith at Rutgers University in New Jersey, Anthony Morgan at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and Kevin Hoult at Jackson State University in Mississippi.

Wright States’ Marlese Durr Honored for Her Work on Feminist Issues

Dr. Durr's research focuses on African American women in managerial positions in public institutions as well as specialized interests in labor markets, social networks, entrepreneurship, inner-city neighborhoods, and stressful life events for African American women.

Three African Americans Who Have Been Named to Higher Education Diversity Posts

Brianna Davis Johnson is the inaugural chief diversity officer at Central Ohio Technical College in Newark. Bobby Berry has been named an assistant dean for diversity and outreach at Wichita State University, and Patricia Harris is a new senior director in the Office for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Two Scholars on Reparations Share an American Book Festival Prize

William A. Darity Jr. of Duke Univerity and A. Kirsten Mullen have won the 2021 American Book Festival Best Book Award in the Social Change category for their book From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century.

Three African American Male Scholars Who Are Taking on New Roles at Universities

Howard Rambsy II was named a Distinguished Research Professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Alfred L. Parks was named a Regents Professor at Prairie View A&M University in Texas and Selwyn Vickers, dean of the University of Alabama at Birmingham medical school, has been given the added duties of CEO of the UAB Health System.

Fayetteville State University Chancellor Honored for Supporting Military Veteran Students

Darrell T. Allison, chancellor of Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, was named the William Pearson Tolley Champion for Veterans in Higher education award winner by Student Veterans of America.

Six African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to University Administrative Positions

Taking on new administrative duties are Toya Corbett at the University of Virginia, Josiah J. Sampson, III at Jackson State University in Mississippi, Manica J. Finch at South Carolina State University, Pierre D. Joanis at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Akirah J. Bradley-Armstrong at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Ava Willis-Barksdale at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

Four African American Scholars Who Have Been Appointed to New Positions

Taking on new assignments are Royel M. Johnson in the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California, Teresa L. Smallwood at the United Lutheran Seminary in Philadelphia, Charles DeSassure at Rose State College in Midwest City, Oklahoma, and Airea D. Matthews of Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.

Three African Americans Who Are Taking on New University Administrative Duties

Erick Harper is the new director of athletics at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Demetrius D. Smith will be associate vice president for student affairs at the University of Georgia and Joanne L. Smiklewill will manage the Professional Leadership Program for Women at Towson University in Maryland.

Kimberlé Crenshaw Receives the Top Honor From the Association of American Law Schools

Kimberlé W. Crenshaw is the Promise Institute Professor of Human Rights at the School of Law at the University of California, Los Angeles and the Isidor and Seville Sulzbacher Professor of Law at Columbia University. She was honored by the Association of American Law Schools for her work on critical race theory and intersectionality."

Four African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to University Diversity Positions

Taking on new roles as diversity officers are Cindy Crusto at the Yale School of Medicine, Melvin Beavers at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, Krishauna Hines-Gaither at Mount Saint Mary's University in Los Angeles, and Sharon Perry-Fantini at Iowa State University.

Three Black Faculty Members Who Are Taking on New Roles at Major Univerities

Renee Cunningham-Williams is the inaugural Watts Endowed Professor of Social Work at Arizona State University. Professor Martell Teasley is serving as interim senior vice president for academic affairs at the University of Utah and Kevin Johnson has been named the David L. Cohen University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Morgan State University’s Wayne Dawkins Honored by the News Leader Association

Wayne Dawkins, professor of professional practice in the School of Global Journalism & Communication at Morgan State University, is the 2021 recipient of the Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship. The award, given in recognition of an educator’s outstanding efforts to encourage students of color in the field of journalism.

Three African Americans Who Are Assuming New University Administrative Duties

Reginald Ruffin was named director of athletics at Tuskegee University in Alabama. Valeda F. Dent was appointed vice provost of libraries and the museum at Emory University in Atlanta and Melanie E. Jones was appointed vice president for advancement, research, and economic development at Grambling State University in Louisiana.

Three African American Women Appointed to Leadership Posts at Georgia State University

Nicolle Parsons-Pollard has been appointed interim provost and head of academic affairs. Corrie Fountain, director of faculty development, will serve as interim associate provost for faculty affairs and Cynthia Lester will serve as interim dean at Perimeter College at Georgia State University.

Three African American Men in New Faculty Roles

Chezare A. Warren is a new associate professor of educational equity and inclusion in educational policy at Vanderbilt University. Marion Hambrick is executive director of the Grawemeyer Awards and Scholars program at the University of Louisville and S. Craig Watkins will direct the IC2 Institute at the University of Texas.

Anita Allen Wins the APA’s Highest Honor for Service to Philosophy

Professor Allen is an internationally renowned expert on philosophical dimensions of privacy and data protection law, ethics, bioethics, legal philosophy, women’s rights, and diversity in higher education. In 2018-19, she was the first Black woman to serve as president of the American Philosophical Association.

A Trio of African Americans Taking on New Administrative Duties in Higher Education

Dwayne Pinkney was named executive vice president for finance and administration at Indiana University. Kimberly Davidson will be the inaugural ombudsperson at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and DeNeia Thomas was named vice president for enrollment and student success at Texas Southern University.

Four African American Scholars Who Are Taking on New Assignments

Taking on new duties or assigned to new positions are Lisa M. Anderson at the Graduate School at Arizona State University, Eve Dunbar at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, David Staten at South Carolina State University, and Monica Peek at the University of Chicago.

Texas A&M’s Karen Butler-Purry Honored for Her Leadership in Graduate Education

Karen Butler-Purry, associate provost and dean of the Graduate and Professional School at Texas A&M University, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Debra Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education by the Council of Graduate Schools. She holds bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering.

Five African Americans Who Will Begin the New Year in New Administrative Posts

Taking on new administrative duties in higher education are Cameron Hall at the University of South Carolina, Orielle Hope at Salem College in North Carolina, Ronnie Agnew at Ohio State University, Shea Kidd Brown at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, and TJ Shelton at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Three African American Women Appointed to University Administrative Positions

Debra Bright has been named associate vice president for student affairs at Howard University. Lorraine Goffe was appointed chief human resource officer at Northwestern University and Marquita Armstead was named executive associate athletic director at the University of Nebraska.

Three African Americans Who Have Been Named to Endowed Positions at Universities

Jeffrey A. Robinson was named to the Prudential Chair in Business at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Jacqueline Goldsby has been appointed the Thomas E. Donnelley Professor of African American Studies and English at Yale University and Adrian Epps holds the Bagwell Endowed Dean’s Chair at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.

Berkeley Professor Rucker C. Johnson Wins the 2022 Grawemeyer Award in Education

Dr. Johnson studied the life trajectories of more than 15,000 children who grew up during the years school integration was federally enforced. He found that Black children who attended integrated schools had stronger educational, health, and income outcomes compared to their counterparts who remained in segregated schools.

A Trio of Black Scholars Who Have Been Appointed to Diversity Administrative Roles

Rodman King has been named the next dean of institutional equity and inclusion at Connecticut College. Ivy Banks was appointed vice president for institutional diversity and inclusion at Xavier University, and Donald Mitchell, Jr. has been named the inaugural vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Molloy College.

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