An alumnus and former student body president at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, Howell is slated to become the university's next chancellor on May 5. He has held several leadership roles at university and at the University of North Carolina.

Robert Blaine III is slated to become the next president of the University of Bahamas on July 1. With a background in both the public sector and academia, he previously held leadership roles with two HBCUs in Mississippi.