Appointments & Awards

Princeton’s Patricia Smith Wins the 2025 National Book Award for Poetry

Professor Smith was honored for her newest poetry collection, The Intentions of Thunder. She currently teaches creating writing in the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University.

A Trio of Black Scholars Taking on Academic Leadership Roles at Universities

Troy Nash is the new director of the Lewis White Real Estate Center at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Carlyle Brewer is a new associate dean at Clemson University in South Carolina and Pearl Dowe was promoted to senior vice provost for academic affairs at Emory University in Atlanta.

Joycelyn Elders Honored by the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation

An expert in pediatric endocrinology, Dr. Elders was the second woman and the first African American to serve as U.S. Surgeon General. She currently serves as a professor emeritus at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

Four African Americans Appointed to New Administrative Roles in Higher Education

The appointments are Anthony Campbell at Harvard University, Julie James at Tennessee State University, Charlotte Barns at Delaware State University, and Chantell Link at Lone Star College in Texas.

Four Black Scholars Selected for New Faculty Positions

Julius Crump of Carthage College and Allison McLarty of Stony Brook University were appointed to endowed positions at their institutions. Tori Young and Kristina Bowdrie are new assistant professors at Vanderbilt University and Case Western Reserve University, respectively.

The 2025 Recipients of Harvard’s W. E. B. Du Bois Medal

The W. E. B. Du Bois Medal is presented annually by Harvard University's Hutchins Center for African & African American Research in recognition of individuals who have made outstanding contributions to African and African American culture.

Six Black Americans Appointed to Administrative Roles in Higher Education

Here is this week’s roundup of Black 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.

New Academic Positions for Three Black Scholars

Marcia Douglas was named a Distinguished Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. Regina Davis was appointed assistant vice provost for online learning and extended learning at North Carolina A&T State University and Kamal Kariem is a new assistant professor of anthropology at Bates College in Maine.

FAMU’s Areto Imoukhuede Receives National Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Education Law

Professor Imoukhuede was recently honored by the Education Law Association for his article, “The Walk Away from Racial Equality,” which examines how recent Supreme Court decisions have shifted away from Brown v. Board of Education's vision of racial equality.

Five Black Administrators Appointed to New Roles 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 Selected for New Roles in the Academic World

Angela Gapa has been appointed to an endowed professorship at California State University, Chico; Vivian Gadsden of the University of Pennsylvania is the new vice president of the National Academy of Education, and Melanie George was named chair of the dance program at Marymount Manhattan College.

Yale’s Elijah Anderson Receives National Award for Ethnographic Research on Urban Crime

Dr. Anderson has studied inequality, structural racism, and crime and violence for nearly five decades. The author of five books, he currently serves as the the Sterling Professor of Sociology and of Black studies at Yale University.

New Administrative Positions for Four Black Leaders in Higher Education

The appointments are Rolanda Horn at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Victor McCrary at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Tamara Michel Josserand at North Carolina A&T State University, and David Halbert at Framingham State University in Massachusetts.

Three HBCUs Announce New Dean Appointments

Xavier Whitaker is the new vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Talladega College; Taviare Hawkins is the new dean of the School of Science at Hampton University; and Shannon Campbell is the new dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at North Carolina A&T State University.

A Trio of Black Scientists Selected for New Positions in Academia

Vera Combs, a pharmacology and toxicology scholar at Hampton University, and Santiba Campell, associate professor of psychology at Bennett College, are taking on new leadership roles at their institutions. Additionally, L'Issa Campbell has joined the faculty at the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine.

New Administrative Appointments for Three Black Leaders in Higher Education

Sheriah Dixon is the Title VI coordinator at Syracuse University, Duane Bailey is director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation at the City College of New York, and Calvin Joyner is associate director for student leadership and involvement at the College of Charleston.

Dartmouth to Construct First Campus Building Named for a Black Alum

“Dartmouth wasn’t made in my image, but it is possible to remake it to include my image. There has been a continual making and remaking of who Dartmouth is for and who belongs here,” said alumna and television mogul Shonda Rhimes, who has donated $15 million to construct the Shonda Rhimes Hall - the first Dartmouth building named for a woman or a Black alum.

Four Black Scholars Selected for New Faculty Appointments at Universities

The appointments are Lassiter Speller at Eastern New Mexico University, Karl Thompson at Howard University, Tracie Kirkland at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Ebenezer Tackey-Otoo at the University of Cincinnati.

Julian Thayer Honored for Lifetime Achievement in Behavioral Medicine

Currently teaching as a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of California, Irvine, Dr. Thayer is known for his research on how stress and emotion impact the heart-brain connection.

A Pair of New Vice Presidents at Dillard University

At historically Black Dillard University in New Orleans, Darvelle Hutchins will serve as vice president of institutional advancement and Dexter Odom will serve as vice president for business and finance and chief financial officer.

Two Black Scholars at Universities in the United States Named MacArthur Fellows

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation recently announced the 22 latest recipients in its fellowship program, commonly referred to as “genius grants.” Of this year’s 22 winners, two are African American scholars with current ties to the academic world in the United States.

New Faculty Appointments for Five Black Scholars

The appointments are Quran Karriem at Syracuse University, Taija Mars McDougall at the University of California, Irvine, Tiffany Baffour at East Carolina University, Cagney Coomer at Smith College, and Jonaya Kemper at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Rutgers University’s Roxane Gay Receives Lifetime Achievement Award From the National Book Foundation

Dr. Gay, an endowed professor at Rutgers University, has authored dozens of works of fiction and nonfiction throughout her career. In addition to her own work, she empowers other writers to publish their stories through her imprint, Roxane Gay Books.

Three Black Administrators Selected for New Roles at Universities

Jan Alexia Boulware is the new associate vice president for academic affairs at Savannah State University in Georgia. Kareem Easley and Derek Fuller have been named chief of police at Tuskegee University in Alabama and the University of Oklahoma, respectively.

Five Black Scholars Who Have Been Appointed to Endowed Faculty Positions

The appointments are Stephanie Boddie at Baylor University in Texas, Marie Johns at Howard University in Washington, D.C., King Britt at the University of California, San Diego, Del Wright, Jr. at Louisiana State University, and Ibraheem Karaye at Hofstra University in New York.

University of Maryland Professor Sacoby Wilson Wins the 2025 Heinz Award in Environment

Dr. Wilson's research confronts how industrial practices, pollution, and climate change disproportionately affect the health of people of color and residents of low-income neighborhoods.

A Trio of Black Leaders Selected for New Positions at HBCUs

Marcus Burgess is senior vice president of enterprise partnerships and innovation at Florida A&M University, Rickey Oglesby is interim band director at Tuskegee University, and Tia Wright-Richards is vice president for institutional advancement at Talladega College.

Three Black Scholars in Academia Have Won the American Book Award

This year, 15 works of fiction authored or edited by 19 writers and poets were awarded an American Book Award. Of these winners, three are Black scholars currently holding faculty appointments at American-based institutions.

New Academic Appointments for Four Black Scholars

The appointments are Michelle McCay at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Lance Collins at Virginia Tech, Terry Allen at the University of Southern California, and Marcus Denard Johnson at Florida State University.

Phyllis Sharps Named a Living Legend by the American Academy of Nursing

Considered the organization's highest honor, the "Living Legend" designation is granted to individuals who exemplify the resolve and ingenuity of the nursing professions and have made significant impacts on health systems and health policy.

Three African Americans Selected for Administrative Roles in Higher Education

Jonathan Sandville was named chief development officer at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Paula Jackson was apoointed interim athletics director at Texas Southern University, and Kendrick Dunklin was named vice president of enrollment management at Edward Waters University in Florida.

Three Black Professors Selected for New Faculty Appointments

Jannette Berkley-Patton was appointed as a Curators' Distinguished Professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the most prestigious faculty rank at the university. Michelle Gray was promoted to full professor of neurology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Todd Craig was selected for an endowed director role at the University of Pennsylvania.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers Honors Prairie View A&M University’s Paul Biney

Dr. Paul Biney of Prairie View A&M University in Texas was recently honored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for his outstanding work in advancing mechanical engineering education. He recently retired from the HBCU after four decades of service.

Five African Americans Appointed to New Administrative Roles in Higher Education

The appointments are Lakisha Sanders at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Seth Thompson at the College of Environmental Science and Forestry of the State University of New York, Ala'Torya Cranford at Paine College in Georgia, Shawn Thomas at the United Negro College Fund, and DeNeia Thomas at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina.

Eight Black Scholars Appointed to New Faculty Positions

Here is this week’s roundup of Black scholars who have been appointed to new faculty 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.

Florida Atlantic University’s Wesley Wright Recognized by the Society for Professional Journalists

Currently serving as assistant director of student media at Florida Atlantic University, Wright is the founder of the ReNews Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to restarting dormant student newspapers at historically Black colleges and universities and Hispanic-serving institutions.
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