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Alumna Valerie Kinloch has been chosen to serve as the fifteenth president of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. She will take office on August 1.
Historically Black Johnson C. Smith University enrolls just over 1,100 undergraduate students and a few dozen graduate students, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. Officially, African Americans make up 72 percent of the student body but another 24 percent are listed as “race/ethnicity unknown.”
“It’s a dream come true to be invited to lead one of the finest historically Black colleges and universities in America – and at the same time come home,” Dr. Kinloch said. “My years at JCSU were some of the best of my life. This university set me on course to grow beyond anything I could imagine, so it is incredibly gratifying to return and give back to the institution that helped make me who I am.”
In 2017, Dr. Kinloch was named the Renée and Richard Goldman Dean of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education. Previously, she held positions as associate dean and professor at Ohio State University and was a faculty member at Teachers College of Columbia University in New York City and at the University of Houston-Downtown. She is the author of Harlem on Our Minds: Place, Race, and the Literacies of Urban Youth (Teachers College Press, 2009).
A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Dr. Kinloch holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Johnson C. Smith University. She earned a master’s degree in English and African American literature and a Ph.D. in English and composition studies with a cognate in urban studies from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Vernell A. Bennett-Fairs, president of LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis has resigned. No reason was given for her departure, just two and a half years since taking the job. Christopher Davis has been appointed as interim president.
“I’m grateful to the faculty, staff, students, administration, and trustees who accomplished much over the past two and a half years,” Dr. Bennett-Fairs said in a statement. “It has been my honor and privilege to work alongside you. I’m excited to see the magic that will ensue as LOC’s renaissance continues.“
Before becoming president of LeMoyne-Owen College, Dr. Bennett-Fairs was vice president for student affairs at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. Earlier, she was vice president for student affairs at Kentucky State University.
Dr. Bennett-Fairs is a graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, where she majored in vocal performance. She earned a master’s degree in vocal performance from Eastern Michigan University and a doctorate in instruction and administration from the University of Kentucky.
Interim President Davis has been serving as the associate dean of Memphis Theological Seminary and is the senior pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church. He is the immediate past chair of the board of trustees of Lemoyne-Owen College.
Dr. Davis joined the faculty of Memphis Theological Seminary in 2007. His research interests include preaching and pastoral ministry. Dr. Davis has led St. Paul Baptist Church since 2000. In the last 10 years, the 145-year-old church has grown from approximately 200 members to over 1,600.
Dr. Davis holds bachelor’s degrees from the University of Arkansas and Arkansas Baptist College. He earned a master’s degree in religion from the Memphis Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry degree from the United Theological Seminary in Ohio.
Pamela E. Scott-Johnson was named provost and vice president for academic affairs at Spelman College in Atlanta, effective August 1. She has been serving as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Before joining Monmouth, Dr. Scott-Johnson served as the dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences at California State University, Los Angeles. She spent nearly 15 years on the psychology faculty at Morgan State University in Baltimore. Earlier, she held a tenured faculty post at Spelman College.
“I am thrilled to be returning to my alma mater as a member of the leadership team to help shape and enhance the academic landscape through which women of Spelman develop as change agents,” said Dr. Scott-Johnson. “Spelman has been and will continue to be a special place for women of African descent and how they impact the world. I look forward to guiding additional pathways for advancing faculty, at all levels, and delivering innovation in student success from retention to graduation.”
Dr. Scott-Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Spelman College. She holds master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology and neuroscience from Princeton University in New Jersey.
Allyson L. Watson was appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs at Florida A&M University. Dr. Watson, who came to the university in 2019 as dean of the College of Education, has served as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs since December 2022. Before she arrived at Florida A&M University, Dr. Watson served as the interim chief academic officer and dean at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg. Earlier, Dr. Watson spent nearly 14 years on the faculty at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, where she held the Eddings Endowed Chair for Urban Education, Outreach & Research.
“Florida A&M University is an institution of academic excellence. I am honored to represent the significance of our history and the academic contributions we have accomplished and be at the helm of such an important time for our future,” Dr. Watson said. “Our future is bright, and I look forward to leading with vision, tenacity, and innovation.”
Dr. Watson holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. She earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in educational administration, curriculum, and supervision from the University of Oklahoma.
Ana Hunt was named provost of the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College. She has been serving as interim provost and previously was interim chancellor of the college. She joined Pulaski Tech in 2019 as registrar. Earlier, she was registrar at National Park College in Hot Springs, Arkansas. From 2012 to 2016, Dr. Hunt was registrar and enrollment coordinator at Baptist Health College in Little Rock, Arkansas.
“I’m humbled and very grateful that the search committee chose me,” Dr. Hunt said. “I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues to offer the best educational experience in Arkansas.”
Dr. Hunt is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Monticello. She holds a master’s degree in college student personnel from Arkansas Tech and a doctorate in educational leadership and management from Capella University.
Pamela J. Haney is the president of Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Illinois. She took office on July 1.
Moraine Valley Community College enrolls more than 10,500 students, according to the most recent data reported by the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 10 percent of the student body.
“It is an honor and privilege to be named as Moraine Valley’s president,” Dr. Haney said. “I’m following in the footsteps of a highly respected and committed leader from whom I’ve learned so much. As I begin my presidency, I promise to build on the college’s excellent foundation while advancing student success, innovation, community engagement, and mission-driven priorities.”
Since 2012, Dr. Haney has been serving as vice president for academic affairs at the college. Prior to coming to Moraine Valley in 2009, Dr. Haney served as program administrator and assistant professor of communication arts at Defiance College in Ohio. She also taught as an assistant professor of speech communication at Norfolk State University in Virginia.
Dr. Haney holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and a master’s degree in speech communication, both from Norfolk State University. She earned a doctorate in interpersonal communication from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
Monika Williams Shealey was appointed dean of the College of Education and Human Development at Temple University in Philadelphia. She previously served as senior vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion and dean of the College of Education at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Earlier, Dr. Williams Shealey served as associate dean for teacher education at the School of Education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
Dr. Williams Shealey holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She earned her doctorate at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
Kenyatta R. Gilbert has been named dean of the School of Divinity at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Since 2006, Dr. Gilbert has been a professor of homiletics at the divinity school. He is a nationally-recognized expert on African American preaching. He is the author of four books including A Pursued Justice: Black Preaching from the Great Migration to Civil Rights (Baylor University Press, 2017).
Dr. Gilbert earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He holds a master of divinity degree and a Ph.D. in practical theology from the Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey.
Jonathan Bailey Holland has been named dean of the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, effective September 1. He has been serving as the Jack G. Buncher Head of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Music in Pittsburgh. Earlier, he served on the faculties of the Berklee College of Music, the Boston Conservatory, and the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Dr. Holland received a bachelor’s degree in music from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He earned a Ph.D. in music from Harvard University.
Sharonda Ragland will serve as the acting dean for the School of Arts and Sciences at Virginia Union University in Richmond. She is an assistant professor of mathematics and interim chair of mass communications at the university. Earlier, she was assistant dean for undergraduate studies in the School of Arts and Sciences.
Ragland holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in applied and computational mathematics from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She is completing work on a doctorate in education from Regent University in Virginia Beach.
Twinette Johnson was named dean of the David A. Clarke School of Law at the University of the District of Columbia. She has been interim dean since August 2022. Prior to joining the faculty in 2017, Professor Johnson was an associate professor of law and director of the Academic Success Program at Southern Illinois University School of Law. Professor Johnson’s research interests include higher education access policy and learning theory models in legal education.
Dr. Johnson holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a Ph.D. from Saint Louis University. She earned a juris doctorate at Tulane University in New Orleans.
The board of trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in Mississippi has placed Thomas Hudson, president of Jackson State University, on administrative leave with pay, effective immediately. No reason was given for the decision to relieve Hudson of his duties. Earlier, this year the university’s faculty senate approved a vote of “no confidence” in Hudson’s leadership. The faculty senate resolution accused the university’s president of failing to respect shared governance, a lack of transparency, and accountability for the campus climate.
In 2020, Hudson was named acting president of Jackson State University. This came in the wake of then-president William Bynum Jr.’s resignation after he was one of 17 people arrested in a prostitution sting operation conducted by the police department in Clinton, Mississippi. Hudson was given the job on a permanent basis later that year.
Before being named president, Hudson had been serving as special assistant to the president and chief diversity officer at the university. He had been a member of the Jackson State staff since 2012. Earlier, he served as an equal employment opportunity specialist for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Hudson holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Jackson State University and a law degree from the University of Mississippi.
Elayne Hayes-Anthony was named acting president of Jackson State University. She currently serves as chair and professor in the department of journalism and media studies at the university. Before joining the Jackson State faculty in 2015, Dr. Hayes-Anthony was a professor of communications and chair of the department of communications at Belhaven University in Jackson from 1998 to 2015.
Dr. Hayes-Anthony earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Jackson State University. She holds a Ph.D. in organizational communication and broadcast law from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.
The board of trustees of Illinois State University announced that vice president for academic affairs and provost Aondover Tarhule will assume the role of interim president, effective immediately. Terri Goss Kinzy, president of Illinois State University, recently resigned from her post after less than two years on the job. No explanation was given for the resignation. Dr. Tarhule’s appointment is effective through June 30, 2024.
Illinois State University enrolls nearly 18,000 undergraduate students and more than 2,500 graduate students, according to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 10 percent of the undergraduate student body.
“I am humbled that the board of trustees has asked me to serve as interim president. I accept this great honor with humility,” said Dr. Tarhule. “The university has a long-standing reputation for excellence, and I look forward to working with my colleagues across campus to further raise Illinois State’s reputation.”
Dr. Tarhule joined Illinois State University as vice president for academic affairs and provost in 2020. His immediate prior administrative appointment was vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at Binghamton University of the State University of New York System. Before that, he was executive associate dean and department chair of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences at the University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Tarhule earned a bachelor’s degree in geography and a master’s degree in environmental resources planning from the University of Jos in Nigeria. He holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in geography from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Historically Black Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis has announced the creation of a new academic college focused on science, technology, engineering, and math. The new College of STEM essentially institutionalizes the St. Louis-based university’s efforts over the last decade to develop a diverse pool of talent for Missouri’s STEM workforce.
Harvey R. Fields, Jr. has been named the inaugural dean of the College of STEM. He most recently served as the associate dean for student success at Washington University in St. Louis. As dean of the College of STEM, Dr. Fields will oversee the college’s creation and implementation. He will be responsible for ensuring the integrity and quality of each of its respective academic departments and existing programs, as well as developing new programs.
“Harris-Stowe has an exemplary track record of generating positive impact, strong outcomes, and enhanced possibilities for underrepresented and under-resourced students,” Dr. Fields said. “Furthermore, HSSU contributes to the improving status, standing, and attractiveness of the Greater St. Louis region as a preferred location for individuals, families, and businesses. I fully identify with and embrace the Harris-Stowe mission.”
Dr. Fields is a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he majored in chemistry. He holds a second bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Washington University.
Michael L. McFrazier was named acting president of Prairie View A&M University. His tenure will be a short one. He is taking over for Ruth Simmons who stepped down three months earlier than planned due to a dispute with the university system. (See JBHE post.) Dr. Simmons will join Rice University in Houston as a President’s Distinguished Fellow, effective April 1.
Dr. McFrazier will serve as acting president for three months until Tomikia P. LeGrande, the current vice provost for strategic enrollment management at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, will become president of Prairie View A&M on June 1. (See JBHE post.)
“Prairie View A&M University has an established legacy of achieving excellence in teaching, research, and service, and I will work assiduously to continue that legacy,” Dr. McFrazier said. “The importance of this job is humbling, and I am indeed honored to have been asked to serve.”
Since 2020, Dr. McFrazier has been dean of Prairie View A&M University’s Whitlowe R. Green College of Education. Dr. McFrazier began his professional career as a public school teacher and administrator in the Waco Independent School District. He joined the faculty at Prairie View A&M in 1998. Over the years, he has served as coordinator of the educational administration degree program, coordinator of the doctoral program in educational leadership, associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs, vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the Northwest Houston Campus, and vice president for administration.
Professor McFrazier holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and two master’s degrees from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He earned a doctorate in educational administration at the University of Arkansas.
Paul Watson II has been named the seventh president of Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, Michigan. He has been serving as interim president since last April. Before being named interim president, Dr. Watson had been vice president for instruction at the community college since 2019.
Kellogg Community College enrolls nearly 3,500 students, according to the most recent statistics available from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans are 7 percent of the student body and women are 72 percent of all students.
Before coming to Kellogg Community College, Dr. Watson served as director, assistant dean, and dean at the Pennsylvania College of Technology from 2011-2018. Earlier in his career, he was an assistant professor of mathematics at Houghton College in Houghton, New York.
Dr. Watson is a graduate of Houghton College, where he majored in mathematics. He holds a master’s degree in mathematics from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in teaching and curriculum from the University of Rochester in New York. Dr. Watson holds a doctorate in educational leadership and management from Drexel University in Philadelphia.
Frederick Evans was appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs at South Carolina State University. He served in the position on an acting basis since November 2021. Prior to his appointment as acting provost, Dr. Evans had served as the university’s dean of the College of Graduate School and Professional Studies. He also was an assistant professor of educational leadership in the department of educational leadership at South Carolina State University.
“I am honored to have his vote of confidence as we relentlessly pursue our mission to provide a quality education to the citizens of our state and this nation,” Dr. Evans said. “I remain committed to achieving President Conyers’ vision for success as we strengthen and expand our offerings.”
Dr. Evans holds a bachelor’s degree in social science/political science and a master’s degree in secondary education/history. He earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Sarasota.
Dimetri Horner is the new provost and vice president of academic affairs at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis. Dr. Horner most recently served as associate vice provost of academics at Strayer University.
“I look forward to the ways in which we will enhance scholarship and innovation to positively impact the academic experiences of our students and benefit the community we serve,” Dr. Horner said. “Harris-Stowe’s rich history is energizing, and our potential as a university is endless. I am inspired by the university’s future.”
Dr. Horner earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of Southern Mississippi, a master’s degree in education innovation and technology from Capella University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The board of trustees of the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio, has announced that Gregory L. King has been named president of the University. Dr. King will become the fourteenth individual to lead the institution in its 177-year history and the third Mount Union alumnus to fulfill the role. He will take office on March 1.
“I resonate deeply with the university’s commitment to an education that is grounded in the liberal arts and emboldened by career-specific preparation as I know personally how life-changing a Mount Union education can be,” King said. “My own transformational experience as a student here jumpstarted my lifelong passion for higher education and the private university experience. Seeing thousands of students benefit from the same close-knit, high-quality learning environment I did as a student has been sincerely gratifying.”
The University of Mount Union enrolls just under 1,900 undergraduate students and about 240 graduate students according to the U.S. Department of Education’s latest data. African Americans make up 6 percent of the student body.
Since 2008, King has served the institution as the vice president for advancement. During his tenure as the institution’s chief fundraising officer, Mount Union has successfully completed and exceeded three fundraising campaigns – a five-year, $50 million comprehensive campaign in 2021 with $50.2 million raised; a two-year, $25 million capital campaign for the health and medical sciences and the fine and performing arts in 2014 with $31 million raised; and a seven-year, $80 million comprehensive campaign in 2010 with $83 million raised. Since 2021, King has also served as interim vice president for enrollment services.
A native of Bedford, Ohio, King graduated from Mount Union in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and sport management. He later earned a master’s degree in higher education administration from Kent State University in Ohio.
John L. Jackson Jr. has been chosen to be the next provost at the University of Pennsylvania, effective June 1. He will be the 31st individual to serve as provost at the university.
“I could not be more honored and genuinely humbled to be asked to serve in this important post,” Dr. Jackson said. “I look forward to working closely with President Magill and the entire Penn community as we navigate the challenges and opportunities of today and prepare, together, for the ones that will emerge tomorrow.”
Dr. Jackson is currently the Walter H. Annenberg Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication and the Richard Perry University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He was previously dean of the School of Social Policy & Practice and senior advisor to the provost on diversity at the university. Professor Jackson joined the faculty at the university in 2006 after erving as an assistant professor of cultural anthropology at Duke University.
An urban researcher, media ethnographer, anthropologist of religion, and theorist of race/ethnicity, Dr. Jackson’s work explores how film and other nontraditional formats can be effectively used in scholarly research projects. He is the author or co-author of several books including Thin Description: Ethnography and the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem (Harvard University Press, 2013), Racial Paranoia: The Unintended Consequences of Political Correctness (Basic Civitas, 2008), and Real Black: Adventures in Racial Sincerity (University of Chicago Press, 2005).
Dr. Jackson is a summa cum laude graduate of Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he majored in communication He holds two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia University in New York City.
Ingrid Thompson-Sellers is the new president of Atlanta Metropolitan State College (AMSC) in Georgia. She took office on February 1.
The college enrolls just over 1,600 students, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 85 percent of the student body.
In 2017, Dr. Thompson-Sellers was appointed president of South Georgia State College in Douglas. Previously, she was a professor of business information systems at Georgia State University in Atlanta and had served as senior associate dean at the university. Earlier she taught at Georgia Perimeter College in Decatur and at what is now Iona University in New Rochelle, New York.
“AMSC’s strong academic mission and student-focused degree programs are a testament to its legacy of making higher education accessible to more Georgians,” Dr. Thompson-Sellers said. “I look forward to helping my new campus family continue blazing those new trails and thank my South Georgia State College family for their hard work and amazing support of the college and its students.”
Professor Thompson-Sellers holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica. She earned a master’s degree in telecommunications from Iona University and a doctoral degree in instructional technology from Georgia State University.
The board of regents of the University System of Georgia has appointed Georj Lewis as president of Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia. Since 2019, Dr. Clayton has been president of Atlanta Metropolitan State College (AMSC).
“Clayton State University helps metro Atlanta thrive with top-ranked programs including nursing and by being the best support for students as they improve social mobility and advance their dreams and careers,” Dr. Lewis said. “It’s an honor to join with Laker Nation’s faculty and staff to help cement its reputation as one of the best state universities in Georgia. I’m also incredibly grateful for the students, faculty, and staff of AMSC. It’s been an honor to be a part of their journey toward success.”
Clayton State University enrolls just over 6,000 undergraduate students and nearly 700 graduate students, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. Women are 72 percent and Blacks are 64 percent of the undergraduate student body.
Prior to being named president of Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Dr. Lewis was vice president of student affairs at Georgia Southern University. Earlier, he was vice chancellor for student affairs at Indiana University Northwest and vice president for student affairs at Armstrong State University which was merged into Georgia Southern University.
Dr. Lewis holds a bachelor’s degree in business and accounting and a master’s degree in counseling/student personnel, both from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. He earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Georgia Southern University.
Corey A. King has been named the eighteenth chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, which has campus locations in Whitewater and Rock County. He will begin his new duties on March 1.
“I am excited to join the faculty, staff, students, and broader community as we continue to advance UW-Whitewater’s mission of being a ‘preeminent academic institution driven by the pursuit of knowledge, powered by a spirit of innovation, and focused on transforming lives,’” Dr. King said. “The university’s demonstrated commitment to student success and excellent educational experiences will continue to be our driving force.”
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater enrolls nearly 10,000 undergraduate students and about 1,700 graduate students, according to the most recent U.S. Department of Education statistics. African Americans make up just 4 percent of the student body.
Dr. King has been serving as vice chancellor for inclusivity and student affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Prior to his role in Green Bay, he was vice president for enrollment management and student financial services at Bethune- Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Earlier, he was vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at Florida Atlantic University.
Dr. King earned a bachelor’s degree in curriculum and instruction and a master’s degree in higher education administration/student affairs from Florida State University. He holds a doctorate in educational administration and leadership from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Douglas LaVergne will be the next dean of the College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. He is currently serving as associate dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Texas A&M University-Commerce. Dr. LaVerge will begin his new duties on April 1.
Dr. LaVergne grew up in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana snd spent his summers working in his father’s rice fields. He holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and a master’s degree in agricultural and extension education from the University of Arkansas. In 2008. Dr. LaVerge received his Ph.D. in agricultural education from Texas A&M University in College Station.
Alma Littles has been named interim dean of the Florida State University College of Medicine, effective February 1. She has been serving as the senior associate dean for medical education and academic affairs. Earlier, Dr. Littles was the founding chair of the department of family medicine and rural health at the College of Medicine.
Dr. Littles is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned a medical doctorate at the University of Florida.
Dorothy E. Mosby will serve as the dean of the faculty and vice president for academic affairs at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, effective June 1. She most recently completed a two-year term as interim dean of faculty and vice president for academic affairs at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, where she has been a faculty member since 2003 in the department of Spanish. She is the author of Quince Duncan. Writing Afro-Costa Rican and Caribbean Identity (University of Alabama Press, 2014).
Dr. Mosby is a graduate of Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. She earned a master’s degree in Spanish and a doctoral degree in romance languages from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Michael Bradford was appointed vice provost and dean for undergraduate education at the University of California, Davis, effective February 21. Since 2020, he has been serving as the vice provost for faculty, staff, and student development at the University of Connecticut. Prior to his current position, Bradford was head of the department of dramatic arts at the university from 2017 to 2020 and director of the university’s theatre studies program from 2010 to 2016. Bradford joined the faculty at the university in 2000 as an assistant professor of dramatic arts.
Bradford earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies with an emphasis in English literature from the University of Connecticut. He holds a master of fine arts degree in playwriting from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York.
Patrena Benton Elliott is the new president of Halifax Community College in Weldon, North Carolina. The college enrolls just under 1,000 students, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 45 percent of the student body.
Dr. Elliott had been serving as vice president of instruction and student support services at Robeson Community College in Lumberton, North Carolina. Previously, she was dean of the Graduate College at Hampton University in Virginia. Earlier, Dr. Elliott was the assistant vice president for academic affairs and director of the Edwin P. McCabe Honors Program at Langston University in Oklahoma.
“I feel honored to be chosen as Halifax Community College’s next president.” Dr. Elliott said. “I count it a blessing to have the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful institution. I am also so excited to have the chance to work with all stakeholders in advancing the work of the college and the greater community.”
Dr. Elliott holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She earned a Ph.D. in leadership studies at North Carolina A&T State University.
Elwood L. Robinson, chancellor of Winston-Salem State University, announced that he will step down from his post on June 30. Dr. Robinson became chancellor on January 1, 2015.
In a statement to the university community, Dr. Robinson said that “I have always believed that genius resides within everyone, and I have spent my career creating opportunities where that genius can be realized and shared. I believe with the launch of this strategic plan that the groundwork to continue that mission has been firmly established and now is the perfect intersection of time and opportunity to retire.”
From 2012 to 2015, Dr. Robinson had been the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Cambridge College in Massachusetts. Previously he was the founding dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences at North Carolina Central University. He joined the faculty there in 1984.
Dr. Robinson is a magna cum laude graduate of North Carolina Central University. He earned a master’s degree from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Pennsylvania State University.
The university wasted no time and immediately appointed Anthony Graham as interim chancellor, effective July 1. Since July 2018, he has been provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the university. Previously, Dr. Graham served as dean of the College of Education and as a professor of educator preparation at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. He joined the faculty there in 2003.
A native of Kinston, North Carolina, Dr. Graham earned his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He holds a master’s degree in education and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Kentucky State University has named Michael D. Dailey as the interim provost and vice president for academic affairs. He has been serving as director of distance learning and instructional design at the university. Earlier in his career, he spent 11 years with the Department of Education for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, including seven years as director of the Division of Next Generation Professionals.
“Every member of our campus community plays a significant role in advancing KSU and will continue to do so,” Dr. Dailey said. “Together, we will work to build greater trust within the Division of Academic Affairs, affirm transparency, and advance our shared mission and strategic initiatives. I look forward to collaborating with faculty as we continue to work in service to our students.”
Dr. Dailey is a graduate of Kentucky State University, where he majored in social work. He earned a master of social work degree in planning and policy administration at Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in instructional design and online education from Capella University.
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