Leadership

In addition to his dean appointment, Dr. Thornton will serve as a professor of practice in the HBCU's College of Business. He comes to his new role from the University of Utah, where he has served as an associate dean for the J. Willard Marriott Library.

“We can’t succeed in a new era with yesterday’s playbook,” says Dr. McCrary. “The National Science Board supports President Trump’s aspiration for Golden Age of American Innovation and will continue to work in partnership with the White House, the Congress, and leaders across business, academia, national security, and state sectors...”

A former president of Morehouse College, Dr. Wilson has conducted extensive research on American higher education, particularly the history and current state of HBCUs. During President Obama's first term, Dr. Wilson was executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and University.

A distinguished professor at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Hurley is a leading authority in skeletal biology. Her current research aims to advance scientific knowledge of sickle cell disease and its related bone loss.

“This initiative is timely and essential,” said Phyllis Worthy Dawkins, executive director of HBCU Executive Leadership Institute at Clark Atlanta University. “Building the capacity of the next generation of executive leaders ensures that our institutions remain anchored in purpose, gain strength from their legacies, and continue to expand their societal impact.”

Ben Vinson III has retired from the presidency of Howard University after just two years in the role. His predecessor, Wayne A. I. Frederick, has been selected to serve as interim president while the HBCU searches for its next permanent leader.

Founded in 1924 through a collaboration between the all-Black National Baptist Convention and the all-White Southern Baptist Convention, American Baptist College was formerly recognized as a historically Black college in 2013. Dr. Jackson has led the HBCU on an interim basis since July.

“It is an immense privilege to step into this role at a critical time for global public health, and as the school celebrates its tenth anniversary, building on nearly a century of public health teaching and scholarship at NYU,” said Dr. Goodman.

William F. Tate IV, recently appointed president of Rutgers University and former president of Louisiana State University, has recently hired two of his former colleagues from LSU to join his new executive leadership team. Kimberly Lewis will serve as chief administrative officer and Keena Arbuthnot will serve as chief academic officer.

Alford Young, an endowed professor at the University of Michigan, is set to begin a one-year term as president-elect of the American Sociological Association in September, followed by a term as president in 2026. As a scholar, he explores the social experiences of African Americans - both within and outside of academia.

“My commitment is to lead with integrity, champion academic excellence, foster a spirit of collaboration, and drive innovation to meet the ever-changing needs of our students, faculty, and the broader community,” said Dr. Leiba. “Together, I am confident we will continue to build on the legacy of excellence that defines Miami Dade College.”

Five Black scholars have recently been appointed to dean posts at colleges and universities across the country. The appointments are Frank R. Hall at Central State University in Ohio, Kevin Richardson at Talladega College in Alabama, Kendal Harris at Chapman University in California, Nicholas Hill at Jackson State University in Mississippi, and Charles DeSassure at the Lamar Institute of Technology in Texas.

North Carolina A&T State University has recently appointed two women to interim dean positions. Radiah Corn Minor will lead the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and Kecia Williams Smith will oversee the Willie A Deese College of Business and Economics.

“My focus remains on putting TSU on a path to sustainability. With the help of our state legislators, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the Tennessee Board of Regents, and other supporters, we will extend the legacy of TSU,” said President Tucker, who has led the HBCU on an interim basis since December 2024.

Based at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Kentucky and funded by the Lilly Endowment, the Louisville Institute awards grants and fellowships in support of leadership, education, and research on North American religion. Dr. Lovelace, a longtime professor and scholar of the Hebrew Bible, began her tenure as the institute's top executive leader on August 1.

A former Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Eaton studies African American literary and cultural history in the American West, women’s narratives, and Africana studies. She currently teaches as a professor of African and African American studies at the University of Oklahoma.

The new deans are Tamalyn Peterson at Talladega College in Alabama, Josephine Ibironke at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Johnnie Westbrook at Lincoln University of Missouri, Lakeisa Tucker at South Carolina State University, and Kerwyn Flowers at Florida State University.

DeRionne Pollard was named president of Nevada State University in 2021, making her the first Black woman to lead any institution within the Nevada System of Higher Education. Earlier in her career, she was president of Montgomery College in Maryland and of Las Poistas College in California.

Dr. Dixon has had a pioneering career in pediatric surgery and academic medicine. In 2004, she became the first Black woman in the United States to become board-certified in pediatric surgery. For the past three years, she has served as the first Black woman dean of the Howard University College of Medicine.

The new provosts are Lawrence Potter, Jr. at Lane College in Tennessee, Morris Thomas at Wiley University in Texas, and Marcus Cox at Savannah State University in Georgia.