A Jackson State University faculty member for nearly two decades, Dr. Orey is a scholar of race and politics, biopolitics, political psychology, and legislative politics and voting.
Dr. Swanson, an assistant professor at Mississippi State University, has been recognized for her new book, Maverick Feminist: To Be Female and Black in a Country Founded Upon Violence and Respectability.
Johnnie Early II, former dean of the FAMU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, has stepped down from his role and returned to a full-time faculty position. Seth Ablordeppey, longtime FAMU professor, has been selected to serve as interim dean.
"Access to the legal profession is crucial, especially for students from historically Black colleges and universities. Through programs like this, we are breaking down barriers and providing a clear, attainable path for our students to achieve their dreams," said Jackson State University president Marcus Thompson.
Dr. Dagogo-Jack of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis has received the 2024 Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Diabetes Research Award from the American Diabetes Association in recognition of his significant contributions to diabetes prevention and treatment research.
Dr. Acoff became dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Mississippi on July 1. She is the first woman and first African American to hold the position. From 2014 to 2023, she was the associate dean for undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of Alabama.
Shana Stoddard, associate professor of chemistry at Rhodes College in Memphis, has been selected to receive the 2024 Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award. The award honors an outstanding scientist who has demonstrated a sustained commitment to the encouragement of scientists from historically marginalized groups.
Newly appointed to dean positions are Gregory E. Triplett Jr. in the School of Science and Engineering at Saint Louis University, Denise Taliaferro Baszile in the College of Education at Wayne State University in Detroit, Viola L. Acoff for the University of Mississippi School of Engineering, and Leon Geter for the School of Communication, Arts and Social Sciences at Benedict College in South Carolina.
Currently, Dr. White is the associate dean of humanities in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He joined the University of Arkansas in 2007 as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor in 2013.
The five Black scholars in new posts or who are taking on new duties are Derrick Harriell at the University of Mississippi, Crista Johnson-Agbakwu at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Duane Watson at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Phylicia Rashad at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Misty De Berry at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
Taking on new diversity roles are Joshua Quinn Tucker at the University of Mississippi School of Law, Lita Little Giddins at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, Steven Kniffley Jr. at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and Alicia Richardson at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York.
Dr. Johnson taught at the University of Mississippi for 23 years. Colleagues remember her as a “renaissance woman” who was an expert in many disciplines, fluent in multiple languages, and an artist. She was only the second Black woman in the U.S. to earn a doctorate in Hebrew Bible.
The four Black women taking on new duties are Charmaine A. Nelson at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Vene Baggett at Texas A&M University-Central Texas in Killeen, Catina Bacote at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and Jennifer Simmons at the University of Mississippi.
The new deans are Ethel Scurlock at the University of Mississippi, Anthony Davis at Georgia State University, Corey Smith at Voorhees College in Denmark, North Carolina, Joi Spencer at the University of California, Riveraide, and Lisa Owens-Jackson at North Carolina A&T State University.
The authors found that "respondents who view persistent racial inequalities as the product of both past and ongoing institutional factors prescribed lengthier sentences for White defendants; those who discount these explanations prescribed lengthier sentences for Black defendants.
The new administrators are Zakiya Brown at Lincoln University in Missouri, Larz Roberts at the University of Mississippi, Quincy Rose-Sewell at Pueblo Community College in Colorado, Ashli Johnson at Howard University, Darrin Q. Rankin at Jarvis Christian Univerity, Deborah Mauristhene at Boston College, and Kendric D. Stewart at Southern Unversity.
Taking on new assignments are Kimberly Mayfield at Holy Names University in Oakland, Hugh Mighty at Howard University in Washington, D.C., Thelma Hurd at the University of California, Merced, Martell Teasley at the University of Utah, DeAnnah Byrd at Arizona State University, and Castel V. Sweet at the University of Mississippi.
Taking on new roles as diversity officers are Tacquice Wiggan Davis at the College of New Jersey, Phillip Cockrell at Cleveland Stae University in Ohio, Felysha Jenkins at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Nickey Woods at the University of Southern California School of Law, and Shawnboda Mead at the University of Mississippi.
Taking on new administrative roles are David Valentine at Goucher College in Maryland, Ashley Pallie at the California Institute of Technology, Veronica Creech at Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh, Alfred L. Norris at Talladega College in Alabama, Charlotte Fant Pegues at the University of Mississippi, and Veronica Cohen at Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida.
Dr. Coats, who brings more than 13 years of higher education experience to the role, has been serving as assistant director of academic support services for the campus and has been employed at the university for nearly nine years. Dr. Coats previously worked for Texas A&M University at Texarkana and the University of Central Arkansas.