Appointments & Awards

University of Arkansas’ Cynthia Nance Honored by the American Bar Association

Professor Nance recently completed her second tenure as dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law. She was first appointed dean in 2006, making her the first woman and first person of color to lead the law school.

New Appointments for Seven Black Administrators at Colleges and Universities

The appointments are S.G. Carthell, Sr. at Murray State University, Nicole Porter at the College of Alameda, Llyod H. Nesbitt at Edward Waters University, Jacqueline G. Powell at Rust College, Brian A. Snell at Florida Memorial University, Joshua Smith at the University of Lyncburg, and Donna Polk at Coppin State University.

Three Black Scholars Who Are Taking on New Roles

MIT's Whitney Henry was named a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences. Dianne Pinderhughes was appointed interim chair of the department of Africana studies at the University of Notre Dame and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah was selected for an endowed chair at the College of the Holy Cross.

Spelman’s Cheryl Finley Awarded for Contributions to African American Art and Art History

Dr. Finely, an endowed professor at Spelman College in Atlanta, is an art historian, curator, art critic, educator and author whose work centers on contemporary African diaspora art, art markets, African American art and film, photography, and museum studies.

Six Black Administrators Selected for New Positions in Higher Education

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. If you have news for our appointments section, please email the information to contact@jbhe.com.

A Trio of Black Scholars Promoted to Full Professor at Coppin State University in Baltimore

Coppin State University, the historically Black educational institution in Baltimore, has the announced the promotion of Khadijah Ali-Coleman, Johnny Rice, and David Scott to the rank of full professor.

Yale’s Nana Osei Quarshie Wins the 2026 Cheiron Book Prize

The book prize is presented annually by Cheiron: The International Society for the History of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Dr. Quarshie's scholarship centers on the relationship between mental healing, political expulsions, immigration, and urban belonging in West Africa since the seventeenth century.

New Appointments for Six Black Administrators in Higher Education

The appointments are Keiko Price Carter at Emory University in Atlanta, Talibah M. Bayles at Miles College in Alabama, Markel Quarles at California State University, Stanislaus, Traevena Byrd at George Washington University, Rodney D. Smith at Texas Southern University, and Willie D. Moore at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.

Three Black Scholars Selected for New Faculty Positions

Quanice G. Floyd has been tasked with developing an online arts administration degree at the University of Cincinnati. Boukary Sawadogo is chair of the department of media and communication arts at the City College of New York and Richard D. Benson II is the inaugural director of the Detroit Center for Black Studies at Wayne State University.

Boston University’s Louis Chude-Sokei Awarded for Distinguished Scholarship in Africana Studies

Dr. Chude-Sokei, an endowed professor at Boston University, is the 2026 recipient of the Teshome H. Gabriel Award from the the University of California, San Diego's Association for Advanced Research in Africana Studies.

New Administrative Roles for Seven African Americans in Higher Education

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. If you have news for our appointments section, please email the information to contact@jbhe.com.

Rutgers University’s Kimberly Mutcherson Honored by the Association of American Law Schools

Professor Mutcherson was the first woman, the first Black person, and the first LGBTQ person to serve as a dean at Rutgers Law. She was recently recognized as a trailblazer in legal education by the Association of American Law Schools.

New Administrative Appointments for Four African Americans in Higher Education

The appointments are Melvin Thompson at Polk State College in Florida, Dawn Osborne-Adams at Yale University in Connecticut, Jason Frierson at the Nevada System of Higher Education, and Yulander Wells Jr. at Syracuse University in New York.

New Roles for Three Black Scholars in Higher Education

Andre E. Johnson was named director of graduate studies in the department of communication and film at the University of Memphis. Taylor Whitehead of Virginia State University was elected president of the HBCU Band & Orchestra Directors' Consortium and Paul Joseph López Oro was promoted to associate professor of Africana studies at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.

Caleb Gayle Wins Distinguished Book Prize in Great Plains Studies

The Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has honored Northeastern University's Caleb Gayle for his new book on Edward McCabe, a Black man who tried to establish a U.S. state governed by and for Black people.

Four Black Administrators Appointed to New Roles at Universities

The appointments are LeNá Powe McDonald at the University of Alabama, Sean Lyn Sr. at Fort Valley State University in Georgia, Charles Small at Syracuse University in New York, and Patricia Smith at Jarvis Christian University in Texas.

Four Black Scholars Appointed to New Faculty Positions

Duchess Harris was selected for an endowed appointment at Macalaster College and Samson Okoth Opondo was promoted to full professor at Vassar College. Christy Swinson is associate dean of the Fayetteville State University School of Nursing and La'Tesha Sampson is director of the MSW program at Seton Hall University.

Nicole Joseph of Vanderbilt University Receives National Award in Mathematics Education

Dr. Joseph, an associate professor at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College, was recently honored by the Mathematical Association of American for her career-long contributions to mathematics education for K-12 and undergraduate students.

New Appointments for Five Black Americans in Higher Education

The appointments are Sean D. Burns at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Shawna Lynch-Watkins at Meredith College in North Carolina, Robert E. Nobles III at Florida A&M University, Tyrell Warren-Burnett at Georgia State University, and Catherine Edmonds at North Carolina A&T State University.

Princeton’s Nell Irvin Painter Recognized by the Society of American Historians

Professor Painter has been awarded for her distinguished scholarship in American history. Currently a professor emerita at Princeton University, she has authored nine books throughout her career.
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