Appointments

• Beverly J. O’Bryant was named dean of the School of Professional Studies at Coppin State University in Baltimore. Dr. O’Bryant was a retired official of the Washington, D.C., public school system. Previously she was a special assistant to the provost at Bowie State University.

O’Bryant holds a doctorate in educational counseling from the University of College Park and is a past president of the American Counseling Association.

• Yvette Underdue Murph was appointed associate vice chancellor for academic affairs/enrollment management at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. She was the assistant vice president for enrollment and retention at Texas A&M University in Commerce.

Dr. Murph holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Cambridge College and a Ph.D. in public administration from the University of La Verne.

• Loren J. Blanchard was appointed associate vice chancellor for academic and multicultural affairs at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. He was provost and vice president for academic affairs for the Louisiana State University System.

Dr. Blanchard is a graduate of Xavier University in New Orleans. He holds a master’s degree from McNeese State University and a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Georgia.

• Shawn M. Bediako, an assistant professor of social psychology at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, was appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to serve on the Statewide Steering Committee on Services for Adults With Sickle Cell Disease of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

• Clinton D. Gardner was named president of Northcentral University in Prescott Valley, Arizona. The exclusively online university was founded in 1996. Dr. Gardner, who holds an educational doctorate from Michigan State University, was president of Argosy University in Phoenix.

• Daarel E. Burnette was named interim vice chancellor of finance and administration at Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina. He was the associate vice chancellor.

Burnette, who served in the Air Force for 22 years, is a graduate of Morehouse College. He holds an MBA from Georgia State University.

Copyright © 2007. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.