Erika James to Lead the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
When she takes office on July 1, Erika James will be the first woman and the first African American to lead the prestigious business school since its founding in 1881. Since 2014, Dr. James has been serving as dean of the Goizueta Business School at Emory University in Atlanta.
Historically Black Central State University in Ohio Selects its Ninth President
Jack Thomas was named the eleventh president of Western Illinois University in 2011. He served in that role until 2019. Dr. Thomas will succeed Cynthia Jackson-Hammond, who will step down as president of Central State University in July.
Lynn Perry Wooten Will Be the First African American President of Simmons University
Most recently, Dr. Wooten has been serving as the David J. Nolan Dean and Professor of Management and Organizations at Cornell University’s Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. Prior to her position at Cornell, Dr. Wooten served on the faculty at the University of Michigan for nearly two decades.
The First Black Woman to Lead a College at Oxford University in England
Since 2015, Baroness Valerie Amos has served as director of the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. From 2010 to 2015, Amos served as undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator at the United Nations.
Two Black Women Named Finalists for President of Clark College in Vancouver, Washington
Clark College is a state-operated educational institution in Vancouver, Washington, with enrollments of nearly 10,000 students. African Americans are just 2 percent of the student body. The college recently announced a field of four finalists for president of the college. Two of the four candidates are Black women.
The First African American Woman Dean at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio
Alyncia Bowen was appointed dean of doctoral studies and the School of Nursing at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Bowen joined Franklin University 14 years ago. She has served as department chair, director of doctoral studies and director of the Global Center for Healthcare Education.
Activists From South Africa and the United States Unite to Fight Anti-Black Racism
The Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity has chosen its second cohort of Atlantic Fellows — 20 leaders from across South Africa and the United States who are working to end anti-Black racism in the two countries.
Two African American Women Appointed to Dean Positions
Taja-Nia Henderson has been named dean of the Graduate School at Rutgers University in New Jersey and Jeannine Dingus-Eason was named dean of education at Rhode Island College.
A Trio of African American Scholars Who Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions
Anthony A. Pittman was named dean of the School of Education at Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Dominique Ayesha Robinson has been named dean of the Chapel at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, and Damien Clement has been named acting dean of the Honors College at West Virginia University.
Berenecea Johnson Eanes Is the New Leader of York College of the City University...
Dr. Eanes has been serving as vice president for the Division of Student Affairs at California State University, Fullerton. She has been on the staff at CalState, Fullerton for the past seven years.
A Quartet of African Americans Appointed to Positions as Deans
LaTonya Branham has been named dean of academic services at DePauw University and Suzanne Barbour is the new dean of the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Orlando F. McMeans is a new agricultural dean at Southern University in Louisiana and Nicholas J. Hill is dean of the business school at Claflin University.
Andrea Jackson Is the New Dean of the Howard University College of Dentistry
Dr. Jackson has served as interim dean of the College of Dentistry since July 2018. Earlier, she was associate dean of clinical affairs and professor and chair of the department of prosthodontics. She has served on the Howard University faculty for the past 30 years.
Peggy Valentine Appointed to Lead Fayetteville State University in North Carolina
Dr. Valentine has been serving as dean of the School of Health Sciences at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. Her research focuses on homeless and minority health issues. Dr. Valentine is the founding editor-in-chief for the Journal of Best Practices in Health Professions Diversity.
Wanda Brown Takes Over as President of the American Library Association
Brown, the director of library services at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina, is the first president of the American Library Association who is currently a librarian at a historically Black university. She is the sixth African American to hold the presidency of the ALA.
Three Black Scholars Who Have Been Appointed to Positions as Deans
Akinlolu O. Ojo was named executive dean of the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Robin Renee Davis will be dean of the Sydney Lewis School of Business at Virginia Union University and Linda Burton has been named dean of the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley.
The New President of Mississippi Delta Community College
Dr. Tyrone Jackson has been serving as vice president of administrative services at the Utica campus of Hinds Community College. Previously, he was associate vice president for student services at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston.
Aldon Morris Elected President of the American Sociological Association
Aldon Morris, the Leon Forrest Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, was named the 112th president of the American Sociological Association. He will serve one year as president-elect and then become president of the organization in August 2020.
The First Black Master of a College at the University of Cambridge in England
Sonita Alleyne was recently appointed as master of Jesus College at the University of Cambridge in England. The title of master is the equivalent of dean in the United States. Alleyne will be the first woman and the first Black person to lead the college, which was established in 1496.
Three Black Scholars Appointed to Dean Posts at Colleges and Universities
The three new deans are Karen Richardson at Princeton University in New Jersey, Leslie Grinage at Barnard College in New York City, and Glenda M. Prime at Morgan State University in Baltimore.
Verna L. Williams Is the New Leader of the College of Law at the...
Professor Williams joined the faculty at the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2001. She has been serving as interim dean since May 2017. She also holds the title of Nippert Professor of Law.
Cheryl Green to Lead the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Dr. Cheryl Green has been serving as vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Earlier, she was assistant vice president for student affairs at Tennessee State University in Nashville.
College Athletic Powerhouses Earn a Grade of D in Achieving Racial Equity in Leadership...
At the 130 colleges and universities that make up the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division 1 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, in the fall of 2018 African Americans made up 3.8 percent of the presidents and 9.2 percent of the athletics directors.
The New Leader of Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock
Regina Favors has been serving as president and CEO of Pinnacle Business Solutions, a subsidiary of Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield. Previously, she had worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and has taught as an adjunct professor at Arkansas Baptist College.
Wanda Austin Is the New Leader of the University of Southern California
From 2008 to 2016, Dr. Austin was president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the application of science and technology relating to the nation's space program. She was the first woman and the first African American to serve as CEO of the organization since its founding in 1961.
Marion Fedrick Appointed President of Albany State University in Georgia
Marion Fedrick has served as interim president since January. Before being named interim president, Fedrick had been serving as interim executive vice president at Albany State. Earlier, she was vice chancellor for human resources at the University System of Georgia.
Claudine Gay Named Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University
Dr. Gay is the Wilbur A. Cowett Professor of Government and of African and African American Studies and is the founding chair of Harvard’s Inequality in America Initiative. She joined the faculty in 2006 and has served as dean of social science for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences since 2015.
Heidi Anderson Appointed the 16th President of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Since September 2017, Dr. Anderson has been special advisor to the president of Texas A&M University-Kingsville. She served as provost and vice president for academic affairs there from 2015 to 2017.
The New President of the College Sports Information Directors of America
Rob Knox, the associate director for athletics communications at Towson University in Maryland was chosen to serve as the 64th president of the College Sports Information Directors of America. He is the second African American to serve as the organization's leader.
The First African American Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy
Darryl A. Williams is the 60th superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He is the first African American to serve in this role in the 216-year history of the academy.
Ernest J. Grant Will Be the First Man to Lead the American Nurses Association
Dr. Grant is an internationally recognized burn care and fire safety expert and oversees the nationally acclaimed North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center at the University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill. He also teaches at the university's School of Nursing.
Jaffus Hardrick to Lead Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens
Dr. Hardrick will be the third person to serve as interim president of Florida Memorial University since August 2017 when Roslyn Artis left to become president of Benedict College in South Carolina.
The First Black Woman to Lead the American Medical Association
Patrice Harris, a practicing psychiatrist and an adjunct assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, was chosen as president-elect of the American Medical Association. In June 2019, she will become the first Black woman to lead the organization.
The Next President of Great Bay Community College in New Hampshire
Dr. Morrice was vice provost at the University of Missouri in charge of enrollment management and strategic development. Earlier, he was the chief enrollment officer at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and associate vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Tanya Millner-Harlee to Lead Manchester Community College in Connecticut
Tanya Millner-Harlee is the interim Campus CEO of Manchester Community College in Connecticut. She is a professor of English and has been serving as interim dean of academic affairs at the college. She will serve while a search is conducted for an individual to fill the position on a permanent basis.
Carnegie Mellon University Program Aims to Increase Diversity in Pittsburgh’s Corporate Suite
African-Americans represent 24 percent of the population of Pittsburgh and 13 percent in Allegheny County, yet African-Americans represent less than 0.1 percent of executive leadership positions.
Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina, Appoints Leroy Staggers as President
Dr. Staggers has worked at Morris College for more than a quarter century. He has served as interim president since June 2017 and earlier was dean of the college. Dr. Staggers will be installed as the permanent president of Morris College on July 1.
