Tagged: University of Virginia

Justene Hill Edwards Wins the 2025 Frederick Douglass Book Prize

The Frederick Douglass Book Prize is presented annually by Yale University in honor of the preceding year's best book on topics of slavery, resistance, or abolition. Dr. Edwards, associate professor at the University of Virginia, was honored for her latest book, Savings and Trust: The Rise and Betrayal of the Freedman's Bank (W.W. Norton and Company, 2024).

Black Coaches in Pursuit of the NCAA Football Championship: One More Bridge to Cross in Collegiate Sports

While Black athletes make up nearly half of all NCAA Division I football players, there are currently only 16 Black head coaches at NCAA Division I schools, representing just 12.3 percent of the head coaches at the 130 member institutions. A Black coach has never won the NCAA Division I college football championship.

Blair LM Kelley is the First Woman and First Person of Color to Lead the National Humanities Center

“For nearly 50 years, the center has been a beacon; a vital space for intellectual inquiry and connection for academic scholars and educators,” said Dr. Kelley. “At a time when supporting the humanities means more than ever, I am proud to have the opportunity to lead a space committed to fostering transformative scholarship, intellectual community, and broad public engagement.”

UNC’s Becky White Receives Citation Award from the HIV Medical Association

Dr. White, an associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the UNC School of Medicine, was recognized for her pioneering research and leadership in improving care and reducing health disparities among prisoners with HIV.

Leah Ward Sears Selected to Lead Emory University in Atlanta

“Having the opportunity to serve Emory as interim president is a full circle moment for me,” said Sears. “In 1977, I was fortunate to receive a scholarship to the Emory School of Law, and it changed my life. I think my life’s work has been a payback for that gift, and I welcome the chance to serve Emory as it continues to change lives the way it did for me and my family.”

New Dean Appointments for Four African American Scholars

Tanya Walker at the University of Arkansa at Pine Bluff, Nicole Hall at the University of Virginia, Kimberly Moffitt at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Charles Smith at Gordon State College in Barnesville, Georgia, have been appointed to dean positions.

In Memoriam: Matthew Holden Jr., 1931-2025

A well-known leader in the field of political science, Dr. Holden taught at several universities throughout the country, including over two decades on the faculty at the University of Virginia.

In Memoriam: Jerry Washington Ward, Jr., 1943-2025

Dr. Ward taught English at Tougaloo College in Mississippi for over three decades. He then served a a distinguished professor at Dillard University in New Orleans for 10 years before his retirement in 2012.

Robert Q. Berry III to Lead School of Education at Indiana University

Dr. Berry, dean of the University of Arizona College of Education, has spent his career studying equity issues in mathematics. His new deanship at Indiana University will begin in April.

How Early Childhood Education Affects Black Children’s Future Success

Over the past fifty years, a team of researchers have tracked 104 predominately Black participants from infancy to adulthood to determine how early childhood education affects their long term outcomes. Although they received the same education, Black boys had significantly lower cognitive scores than Black girls once they reached high school and beyond.

Swarthmore College President Valerie Smith Receives Contract Extension

Valerie Smith was named president of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania in 2015. She will continue in her role through at least June 2027.

Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy Named President of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education

“I’m honored to take on this new role at AACTE, an organization with such a rich tradition of leadership, advocacy, and innovation,” Dr. Holcomb-McCoy said. She will assume her new role in January after eight years as dean of School of Education at American University.

Barbara Savage Receives Book Award for Her Recent Biography of Merze Tate

The Before Columbus Foundation has honored Barbara Savage, professor emerita at the University of Pennsylvania, with their 2024 American Book Award for her book, Merze Tate: The Global Odyssey of a Black Woman Scholar.

Encountering Online Microaggressions is Associated With Poor Sleep Quality for Black Women

When Black women encounter online microaggressions directed at other Black women, they are more likely to experience poor sleep quality. These vicarious online microaggressions were found to be more harmful for sleep quality than encountering in-person microaggressions.

Mark Brown to Be the First Alumnus to Serve as President of Tuskegee University in Alabama

On July 1, Dr. Mark Brown will assume the presidency of his undergraduate alma mater, Tuskegee University in Alabama, making him the first alumnus to serve in the position. He currently serves as the inaugural president and CEO of the Student Freedom Initiative.

In Memoriam: Roy Hudson, 1930-2024

From 1970 to 1976, Dr. Hudson served as the tenth president of what is now Hampton University in Virginia. He also held an interim appointment as president of his undergraduate alma mater, Livingstone College in North Carolina.

University of Alabama Creates Database Relating to History of Slavery on Campus

Scholars from the University of Alabama created an online database housing information on the history of slavery on the university's campus. The new website is the latest effort in a larger initiative from the Consortium of Universities Studying Slavery to uncover the history of enslaved individuals who labored for colleges and universities across the world.

University of Notre Dame Honors Maurice Cox With Henry Hope Reed Award

Maurice Cox has been named the 2024 laureate of the Henry Hope Reed Award at the University of Notre Dame for his dedication to education and public service.

Roscoe Jones Jr. Becomes First-Ever Black Dean at Drake University

Roscoe Jones Jr. has been appointed dean of the Drake University Law School, making him the first-ever Black dean across all schools at Drake University. Jones currently serves as a practicing attorney in Washington D.C., and as an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Law school.

Three African Americans Who Are Taking on New Higher Education Administrative Positions

Kenyon Bonner has been appointed as vice president and chief student affairs officer at the University of Virginia. J. David Bratton was named director of choirs at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, and Jamila Lee-Johnson is the inaugural assistant dean of inclusive excellence for the Graduate School at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
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University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney D. Bennett Announces Resignation

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Dr. Bennett will end his service as chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on January 12 - some six months before his contract was set to expire. He began his role in July 2023, following nearly 10 years as president of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Kecia Williams Smith Promoted to Dean of the Business School at North Carolina A&T State University

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Dr. Smith has led North Carolina A&T State University's Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics on an interim basis since July 2025. She has taught at the university for the past six years and directs the HBCU's master of accountancy degree program.

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