Charles Robinson Has Been Named Interim Chancellor of the University of Arkansas
Dr. Robinson has been serving as provost and executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs. He was named provost last year and has served as vice chancellor of student affairs since 2015. Dr. Robinson’s time at the University of Arkansas spans more than 20 years, beginning as an assistant professor of history.
Two African American Who Have Been Named to Dean Positions
Ahkinyala Cobb-Abdullah is the new interim dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Virginia Union University in Richmond and Vincent Mumford was named Interim dean of graduate studies at West Liberty University in West Virginia.
Gloria Thomas Selected as the Next President of HERS
Dr. Thomas comes to HERS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she served as the director of the Carolina Women’s Center. Prior to her time at UNC, Dr. Thomas served as the executive director of the Center for the Education of Women at the University of Michigan.
Mona Lisa Saloy Is the New Poet Laureate for the State of Louisiana
Mona Lisa Saloy is the Conrad N. Hilton Endowed Professor of English at historically Black Dillard University in New Orleans. A native of New Orleans, Professor Saloy holds a master of fine arts degree in creative writing and a Ph.D. in English from Louisiana State University.
Laurie Shanderson Is the New Chancellor of Methodist College in Peoria, Illinois
Dr. Shanderson comes to Methodist College with more than 20 years of higher education experience, most recently as founding dean of the School of Health Sciences at Northcentral University, a private online university headquartered in San Diego, California.
School of Journalism & Graphic Communication at Florida A&M University Names Its Next Dean
Mira Lowe, a veteran journalist and editor, has been assistant dean for student experiences at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications since 2019. Before entering academia, Lowe enjoyed a successful career as a professional journalist.
A Legendary Figure In Black Higher Education Announces His Retirement
Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County has announced his plan to retire at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year. Under his leadership, UMBC is now the nation’s top producer of Black graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D. in the natural sciences and engineering.
Spelman College President Mary Schmidt Campbell Will Step Down at the End of the...
Dr. Campbell became president of Spelman College in Atlanta on August 1, 2015. She is dean emerita of the Tisch School of the Arts and University Professor of art and public policy at New York University. Early in her career she was the director of the Studio Museum in Harlem and was cultural affairs commissioner for the City of New York. She joined the faculty at New York University in 1991 and served as dean for two decades.
The First Woman to Chair the Surgery Department at the Howard University College of...
Andrea A. Hayes has been serving as the surgeon-in-chief and division chief of pediatric surgery at the University of North Carolina Children’s Hospital, where she also served as a professor of pediatric surgery and surgical oncology. A native of Los Angeles, she earned her bachelor's degree and medical doctorate at Dartmouth College.
Three African American Women Who Have Been Appointed to University Dean Positions
Catherine R. Squires was named interim dean of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. Denelle Wallace-Alexander has been appointed dean of the School of Education at Norfolk State University in Virginia and Carmen Renee’ Green is the new dean of the City University of New York School of Medicine
Lerone Martin Named Faculty Director of Stanford’s MLK Research and Education Institute
Dr. Martin is currently an associate professor of religion and politics in the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics, as well as associate professor of African and African-American studies, and director of American Culture Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. He will join the Stanford faculty in January.
Delaware State University President to Lead White House’s HBCU Advisory Board
Dr. Tony Allen was appointed president of Delaware State University in 2020 after serving as provost for nearly three years. Before coming to Delaware State, Dr. Allen was head of the corporate reputation group for Bank of America. He is the former executive vice president of MBNA, the large banking and credit card company.
Don Essex Is the New Dean of Lyman Beecher Brooks Library at Norfolk State...
Before coming to Norfolk State, Dean Essex was an associate professor and director of the Theofield G. Weis Library at Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, Maryland, for nearly seven years. Earlier, he served for 13 years as a legislative information specialist for the Washington office of the American Library Association.
Andra Johnson to Lead the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service
Dr. Johnson has been serving as associate director of Pennsylvania State University Extension. Earlier in his career, he was assistant director of research and graduate research at Alcorn State University in Mississippi and vice chancellor for research and technology development at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Journalist Meredith Clark to Lead a New Academic Center at Northeastern University in Boston
Meredith Clark has been named the founding director of the Center for Communications, Media Innovation and Social Change in the College of Arts, Media and Design at Northeastern University in Boston. Dr. Clark, who is a former print journalist for the Tallahassee Democrat and the Raleigh News & Observer will hold the rank of associate professor.
Three Black Women Scholars Named to Dean Positions at HBCUs
Afua Arhin is the new dean of the College of Health, Science, and Technology at Fayetteville State University. Michelle McQueen-Williams was appointed interim dean of the School of Education at Virginia Union University and Julia Wilson was named interim dean of the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications at Hampton University in Virginia.
Ericke Cage Is the New Leader of Historically Black West Virginia State University
Cage joined the university in July as vice president and chief of staff and has been serving as the university’s chief operating officer managing the day-to-day operations of the university since July 30. Before arriving at West Virginia State, Cage was the senior advisor to the president and university ombudsman at Norfolk State University in Virginia.
Sean Perryman to Lead the New Center for Social Justice at the Thurgood Marshall...
Perryman has served as director of social impact policy at the Internet Association leading the association’s efforts on diversity in tech, immigration, and its racial justice strategy. Earlier, Perryman served as the youngest-ever president of the Fairfax County, Virginia, NAACP.
Gretchen Generett Is the New Dean of the School of Education at Duquesne University...
A Duquesne faculty member since 2008, Dr. Generett also has served as associate dean for graduate studies and research, chair of the department of educational foundations and leadership, and director of the Center for Educational Leadership and Social Justice. She holds the Noble J. Dick Endowed Chair in Community Outreach.
Damara Hightower Mitchell Is the New Provost at Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina
Dr. Hightower Mitchell came to Voorhees in 2020 to establish the Center of Excellence for Educator Preparation and Innovation. Before coming to Voorhees College, Dr. Hightower Mitchell taught at Claflin University, the University of South Carolina, and Benedict College.
Daniel Wims Will Be the Next President of Alabama A&M University
Dr. Wims has been serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs and for research, as well as a professor of agricultural sciences at the university. He will become the twelfth president of Alabama A&M on January 1.
Three African American Women Who Have Been Appointed to Dean Positions
Lynette Luckers is the new dean of counseling and completion services at Delaware County Community College in Media, Pennsylvania. Debbie G. Thomas has been appointed dean of the College of Education at Grambling State University in Louisiana and Tawana Parks was appointed the Martha A. Darling Dean of Students at Reed College in Portland. Oregon.
Prairie State College in Illinois Names Its First African American President
Dr. Michael D. Anthony previously served as the vice president of student affairs and enrollment management at Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, Minnesota. Earlier, he was the inaugural chief diversity officer at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois, and inaugural director of the Cultural Center at the University of Louisville.
Kyle Farmbry Will Be the Tenth President of Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina
Dr. Farmbry has been serving as a professor of public administration in the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers University in Newark. Earlier, he was dean of the Graduate School at Rutgers-Newark. When Dr. Farmbry takes office on January 1, he will be the first African American to serve as Guilford College's president.
Three African Americans Who Have Been Appointed Deans at Universities
Marla Love has been named the Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of Students at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Asquith S. “Sean” Armstrong has been named dean of University College at Washington University in St. Louis and Arlene J. Montgomery is the new interim dean of the School of Nursing at Hampton University in Virginia.
Olufunke Fontenot is the New Provost at Fort Valley State University in Georgia
Before coming to Fort Valley State University in 2019, Dr. Fontenot served as the interim regional vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of South Florida – St. Petersburg. Dr. Fontenot also served as associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs, and interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at Albany State University in Georgia.
Linda Scott Was Named President-Elect of the American Academy of Nursing
Dr. Scott became the eighth dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2016. Earlier she was associate dean for academic affairs, director of graduate studies, and urban health at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Nursing.
A Trio of Black Scholars Who Have Been Appointed Deans
Kimberly Moorehead has been named dean of the University College at Dillard University in New Orleans. Malcolm Butler will be the next dean of the Cato School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Nicquet Blake was appointed dean of the Graduate Division at the University of California, San Francisco.
Notre Dame’s K. Matthew Dames Is the New Leader of the Association of Research...
Dr. Dames came to Notre Dame this fall after serving as Boston University Librarian since 2018. Earlier, Dr. Dames was associate university librarian for scholarly resources and services at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Gloria Blackwell Is the New CEO of the American Association of University Women
Blackwell had been serving as the executive vice president and chief program officer for the association. For 17 years, she directed AAUW’s highly esteemed fellowships and grants program which has awarded more than $70 million in funding to women scholars and programs in the U.S. and overseas.
Ashley Jones Appointed Poet Laureate of the State of Alabama
Ashley M. Jones is the youngest and first person of color to be named poet laureate of Alabama, a position created 91 years ago. Jones teaches at Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and the Alabama School of Fine Arts.
Sonja Stills Will Be the First Woman Commissioner of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
Stills currently serves as the chief of staff and chief operating officer of the MEAC. She also serves as the MEAC’s director of Esports. Before arriving at the MEAC, Stills served as senior woman administrator for the athletics department at Hampton University in Virginia.
Once Again, Regina Favors Selected to Lead Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock
For the second time, Regina Favors has been named interim president of Arkansas Baptist College, a historically Black educational institution in Little Rock. Favors is the former president and CEO of Pinnacle Business Solutions, a subsidiary of Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Three Colleges and Universities Announce the Appointment of African American Deans
Hasan C. Crockett is the new dean of liberal arts and humanities at Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. Jennifer Faison Kelly is the new dean of the School of Education at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and Johannah Williams has been hired as the dean of the STEM Division at Nashville State Community College.
Samuel Mukasa Is the New Provost at SUNY’s College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Dr. Mukasa is the former dean of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota and former dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and Eric J. Essene Professor of Geochemistry at the University of New Hampshire.
Vanderbilt University’s Renã Robinson Is Leading a National Organization of Black Chemists
Renã A.S. Robinson, associate professor of chemistry and Dorothy J. Wingfield Phillips Chancellor Faculty Fellow at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, has been named president of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE).
