The First Black Faculty Member in the 650-Year History of the University of Vienna
Adams Bodomo, from Ghana, was appointed professor and chair of the department of African languages and literatures at the University of Vienna in Austria. He is the former director of the African studies program at the University of Hong Kong and earlier taught at Stanford University.
Florida A&M University Confers Ph.D.s in Physics to Two Black Women
According to the National Science Foundation, 1,902 people earned Ph.D.s in physics at American universities in 2013. Only 18.8 percent were women and only 19 were Black. Now two Black women have earned Ph.D.s in physics at the same university in the same year.
Deborah Johnson Is the First African American to Win the Harper Lee Prize for...
The Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction is administered by the University of Alabama School of Law and the ABA Journal. Johnson is the first woman and the first African American to win the prize.
The First African American President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Evelyn F. Crayton, professor emerita at Auburn University in Alabama, is the new president of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The academy, with over 76,000 members, is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.
The First Black Professor at an Israeli University
Anbessa Teferra was appointed to the position of senior lecturer of Semitic languages at Tel Aviv University in Israel. He is the first immigrant from Ethiopia to be granted status as a tenured senior lecturer at an Israeli University.
Black Teenager in Indiana Aces the SAT, the ACT and All Her AP Tests
Love Osunnuga is a 15-year-old girl who is a senior at St. Joseph High School in South Bend, Indiana. She skipped both the first and fifth grades so will graduate from high school this coming spring at the age of 16.
The First Black Student to Earn a Ph.D. in History at the University of...
A half century after the racial integration of the University of Southern Mississippi, Tonya De'Nee Blair is the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in history at the university.
The Youngest Ph.D. Recipient in the History of Delaware State University
Jalaal A. Hayes recently was awarded a Ph.D. in applied chemistry at Delaware State University at the age of 22. Dr. Hayes graduated from high school at the age of 15 and earned a bachelor's degree at the age of 18.
Paula Johnson Will Be the First African American President of Wellesley College
Dr. Johnson is a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. She is the founder and executive director of the Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital.
The First African American to Earn a Ph.D. in Linguistics at the University of...
Adrienne Washington of Morgantown, West Virginia, is a graduate of Hampton University in Virginia. She received a master's degree in linguistics at the University of Pittsburgh.
Black Identical Twins Each Had the Highest GPA at FIU’s College of Engineering and...
Shalisha and Shonda Witherspoon are identical twins. They recently graduated from the College of Engineering and Computing at Florida International University in Miami with identical 3.95 grade point averages, the best in the college.
Hampton University Professor Competed for Miss USA Title, Another HBCU Alumna Wins It
Desiree Williams, an assistant professor of physical therapy at Hampton University finished in the top 10 at the Miss USA pageant. The winner is an Army commander and an alumna of historically Black Virginia State University.
The First Black Woman Chair of the American Medical Association Board of Trustees
Dr. Harris is the former director of health services for Fulton County, Georgia, and the former medical director for the Fulton County Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.
A Black Woman’s Half-Century Journey to a Bachelor’s Degree
Delores Ojunga-Andrew is a Black woman who is a member of the Class of 2018 at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. At age 72, she is the oldest student enrolled at the women's college.
The First Black Leader of the Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities
Billy C. Hawkins, president of Talladega College in Alabama, has been chosen to chair the board of directors of the Alabama Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. He is the first African American to chair the association's board.
An Educational Milestone for April Gillens at Clemson University
Earlier this month, April Gillens became the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in environmental engineering and earth sciences at Clemson University in South Carolina.
The Youngest Woman Recipient of a Ph.D. in Africa
Muswenkosi Donia Saurombe is on track to receive Ph.D. in industrial psychology from the North West University in Mafikeng, South Africa, this October. At the age of 23, she will be the youngest women in African history to earn a Ph.D.
LaVerne Harmon Named the Next President of Wilmington University in Delaware
LaVerne Harmon is currently executive vice president at Wilmington University. When she takes office on July 1, she will become the first African American women to serve as president of a university in the state of Delaware.
The Higher Education of the First Black Woman Diocesan Bishop of the Episcopal Church
On September 11, 2001, Rev. Baskerville-Burrows was in Trinity Church in lower Manhattan just blocks away from the World Trade Center. Next April she will become the leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis.
The First Black Woman to Lead the Harvard Law Review
The first edition of the Harvard Law Review was published in 1887. It has the largest circulation of any law journal in the world. Now, for the first time in 131 years, a Black woman will serve as president of the law review.
The First African American Editor-in-Chief of the South Carolina Law Review
Chelsea Evans, a second-year student at the University of South Carolina School of Law, is the first African American to be elected editor-in-chief in the 69-year history of the legal publication.
The First Black Editor-in-Chief of the Emory Law Journal
Janiel Myers is a native of Jamaica but has become a U.S. citizen. She is scheduled to earn her law degree in 2018 and is the chair of academic and professionalism success for the Emory Black Law Student Association.
Black Teenager in New Jersey Accepted Into All Eight Ivy League Schools
Ifeoma White-Thorpe had a perfect grade point average during her high school years. She also was student body president.
A Milestone Commencement at North Carolina Central University
The University awarded 725 undergraduate degrees and 490 graduate degrees at commencement ceremonies earlier this month, the largest total in the university's history. It also awarded its first Ph.D.s in over a half century.
Alabama State University Awards Its First Master of Social Work Degrees
Seven students, all of whom previously had earned bachelor's degrees in social work at Alabama State University, were recently awarded the university's first master of social work degrees.
Tonjua Williams Will Be the First African American President of St. Petersburg College
Dr. Williams has been on the staff at the college for 30 years. Since 2013, she has served as senior vice president of student services. She holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Barry University in Miami.
The First African American President of Eureka College in Illinois
Jamel Santa Cruze Wright has been serving as interim president of the college since July 2016. Dr. Wright first came to Eureka College in 2014 as chief diversity officer and vice president for strategic and diversity initiatives.
The First African American Woman to Lead the Corps of Cadets at West Point
Simone Askew of Fairfax, Virginia, was named First Captain of the Corps of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for the 2017-18 academic year. She is the first African American woman to hold this position since the academy's founding in 1802.
Clemson University’s First African American Dean Has Retired
Frankie O. Felder, senior associate dean at the Clemson University’s graduate school, retired on August 15. Dr. Felder had served as a dean at the graduate school since 1987. She was the first African American dean at Clemson.
The First African American Woman Athletic Director at a Power 5 Conference University
The University of Virginia has named Carla Williams as director of athletics. She is the first African American woman to be named an athletics director at a Power 5 conference that make up the nation's leading football programs.
Morgan State University Set to Award its First Ph.D. in Mathematics
Next month, Candice Marshall is set to become the first person to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics at historically Black Morgan State University in Baltimore. A native of St. Lucia in the Caribbean, Marshall's research involves advanced matrix algebra and Riordan matrices.
Kentucky State University Awards its First Doctoral Degrees
Kentucky State University, the historically Black educational institution in Frankfort, recently conferred its first doctoral degrees in the 131-year history of the educational institution. Six students were awarded the doctor of nursing practice degree at the university's fall commencement.
Winston-Salem State Graduate Is the First to Take Advantage of a Guaranteed Admission Program
Alexis McCrea, who graduated from Winston-Salem State University last spring, is the first student to take advantage of the university's Early Assurance Program that guarantees admission for university graduates to the doctor of physical therapy program if they have met specific requirements.
A Record Number of Doctoral Degree Awards at Grambling State University
Last month seven students were awarded doctorates in developmental education at Grambling State University in Louisiana. This is the largest number of doctoral degrees awarded in university history. One of the seven students is a grandfather who has been serving as a lecturer in the College of Business at Grambling.
Former Portland State University Official Named to the Oregon Supreme Court
Adrienne C. Nelson has been appointed by Governor Kate Brown to a seat on the Oregon Supreme Court. She is the first African American to serve on an appellate court in the state of Oregon.
Miles K. Davis Will Be the First African American President of Linfield College in...
Currently, Dr. Davis is dean of the Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. He joined the faculty there is 2001 and was named dean of the business school in 2012. He will become president of Linfield College on July 1.
