A Trio of Black Scholars Appointed to New Faculty Positions

The faculty appointments are Caree Benton at the University of Arkansas, Stephen Oloo at Kalamazoo College, and Leonard Egede at the University of Buffalo.

Kimberly Enard is the First African-American Recipient of the John D. Thompson Prize

The Association of University Programs for Health Administration has honored Kimberly Enard, associate professor at Saint Louis University, with the 2024 John D. Thompson Prize, making her the first African-American to receive the award.

Three Black Leaders Appointed to Administrative Positions

The new adminstrative appointments went to Alexander Miller at Washington and Lee University, Naadiya Hopkins at Fayetteville State University, and Willie Hucks at Andrews University.

Three Black Scholars Selected for Endowed Professor Positions

The appointments are Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin at Pennsylvania State University, Gretchen Robinson at North Carolina A&T State University, and Stephen Hancock at North Carolina A&T University.

National Institutes of Health Honors Cecelia Valrie With Award for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Virginia Commonwealth University psychology professor Cecelia Valrie was honored by the National Institutes of Health's HEAL Initiative for her collaborative research into improving pain management for pediatric patients with sickle cell disease.

Five Black Leaders Appointed to Administrative Positions

The appointments are Genita Mangum at Delaware State University, Frederic MacDonald-Dennis at North Shore Community College, Jennifer Wilder at Florida A&M University, Skylar Mayberry-Mayes at Grand View University, and Akilah Rosado at the Relay Graduate School of Education.

Joe Trotter Receives Award for History and Social Justice from American Historical Association

The American Historical Association has awarded Dr. Joe Trotter with the John Lewis Award for History and Social Justice. Dr. Trotter currently serves as a professor and founding director of the Center for Africanamerican Urban Studies and the Economy at Carnegie Mellon University.

Three Black Women Appointed to Administrative Positions

The appointments are Shani Crayton at Alabama State University, Jessica Brown at the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and Kimberly Shiner at California State University, Fullerton.

Karen Bullock Honored for Outstanding Contributions to Diversity in Palliative Medicine

As an endowed professor at Boston College and scholar at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Bullock's new award honors her dedication to improving care for underrepresented patient populations in hospice and palliative medicine.

Two Black Scholars Appointed to Faculty Positions

Esther Jones is the inaugural associate dean for faculty development at Brown University and Dagmawi Woubshet is an endowed professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania.

Kimberly White-Smith Honored for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education

“Through her leadership and scholarship, Dr. White-Smith inspires a new generation of teachers to serve students and approach their work with equity, compassion, and respect,” said Gail F. Baker, provost and senior vice president at the University of San Diego. 

Five Black Leaders Appointed to Administrative Positions

Taking on new administrative roles are Keith Humphrey at the University of Memphis, DeMarcus Hopson at Georgetown College in Kentucky, Sonja Brown at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, Denisha Hendricks at Johnson C. Smith University in North Carolina, and CJ Charlton at Delaware State University.

Three African Americans Appointed to New Academic Positions

Leon Prieto, Kofi Afrifah, and Andrea Moore have been appointed to new academic positions at Clayton University, Bowie State University, and Savannah State University, respectively.

Five Black Leaders Appointed to Administrative Positions

Here is this week’s roundup of African American who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States. If you have news for our appointments section, please email the information to contact@JBHE.com.

Andre Johnson Honored for Distinguished Service in Africana Communication

“I am indeed honored to receive this prestigious award named for a person who meant so much to the study of Communication," said Dr. Johnson. “My aim is to continue to serve and work in ways that not only highlight and center Africana communication but also to continue to build on the legacy of Dr. Orlando Taylor.”

Two African American Women Appointed to Deanships

Appointments include new leadership roles for Aherial Polite at Augusta Technical College in Georgia and TaKeia N. Anthony at Edward Waters College.

Florida State University Professor Scotty Barnhart Wins His Third Grammy Award

Scotty Barnhart, professor of jazz trumpet at Florida State University, secured his third career Grammy Award for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album,"

Four Black Professionals Appointed to Administrative Leadership Positions

Lydia Sermons, Robert Jackson, David Robinson-Morris, and Jonathan Miller are taking on new leadership roles at Howard University, Virginia Tech, Dartmouth College, and North Shore Community College, respectively.

United States Department of Agriculture Honors Ozzie Abaye for Excellence in Teaching

Ozzie Abaye, the Thomas B. Hutcheson Jr. Professor of Agronomy at Virginia Tech, has received with the 2023 Excellence in College and University Teaching Award for Food and Agricultural Sciences. Dr. Abaye states, "Teaching is not what I do for a living, but what I do to live."

A Trio of African Americans Appointed to Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Positions

Jeremi London was named the assistant provost of academic opportunity and belonging at Vanderbilt University. Pierre Morton has been appointed the vice president of the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility at Pacific University Oregon. And Chloe Poston will be the next vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Davidson College.

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.

Two Black Men Appointed to Administrative Roles

Ernest Pierre-Louis was promoted to associate director of the Black Male Initiative and financial operations at the City University of New York and Kevin D. Howell has been named the chief external affairs officer for the University of North Carolina Health and the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

Oscar Barton Wins Medal From the American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Morgan State University professor and dean, Oscar Barton, is the first African American recipient of the Edwin F. Church Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. As part of the award, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers will establish an endowed scholarship in his name at Morgan State University.

Three African Americans Appointed to Diversity Posts

Sharod L. Tomlinson, Ron Price, and Sheleta Camarda-Webb are taking on new diversity-focused leadership roles at three schools in the eastern United States.

Alicia Fontnette Appointed Executive Director of the National Council for Black Studies

The National Council for Black Studies has selected Alicia Fontnette as the organization's executive director. Dr. Fontnette is an assistant professor in the department of African studies at the University of Delaware, which will serve as the council's new headquarters.

A Trio of Black Scholars Who Are Taking on New Faculty Roles

Reginald Ellis was appointed an inaugural Provost Professor at Florida A&M University. Mediget Teshome is the new chief of breast surgery and director of breast health for the University of California, Los Angeles Health System and Professor Ezemenari Obasi was named vice president for research at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Arizona State University’s Colleen Jennings-Roggensack Honored for Promoting Broadway Theater

Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, vice president for cultural affairs at Arizona State University and executive director of ASU Gammage, a multipurpose performing arts center on the campus of the university in Tempe, is the recipient of the 2023 Broadway League Leadership Award.

Four African Americans Who Have Been Appointed to Administrative Posts in Higher Education

Taking on new administrative roles are Jarmon DeSadier at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Robert Mitchell Jr. at Dillard University in New Orleans, Jessica Smith for the Relay Graduate School of Education, and John Thomas at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Three African American Faculty Members Appointed to New Positions

Cynthia Oliver has been named to a Gutgsell Endowed Chair at the University of Illinois. Najja Baptist was named director of African and African-American Studies Program in the history department at the University of Arkansas and associate professor BJ Arnett was appointed chair of the department of art and fashion at Clark Atlanta University.

UNLV’s Frank Rudy Cooper Honored by the Association of American Law Schools

The association's C. Clyde Ferguson, Jr. Award honors a legal educator who has provided support, encouragement, and mentoring to colleagues, students, and aspiring educators, and has achieved excellence in the areas of public service, teaching, and scholarship.

Three African Americans Taking on New Administrative Roles in Higher Education

Wayne Martin is the new vice president of government affairs at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Taunita V. Stephenson was named the head of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for the division of recreation and intercollegiate athletics and wellness at the University of Pennsylvania, and Lynda Batiste was appointed senior vice president of finance and chief operating officer at St. Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Cato Laurencin Receives the John P. McGovern Compleat Physician Award

The award, presented by the Houston Academy of Medicine, seeks to identify and recognize multi-accomplished physicians who have enriched the field of medicine with excellence and humaneness. Dr. Laurencin is a University Professor and former dean of the medical school at the University of Connecticut.

A Trio of African American Scholars Taking on New Faculty Roles

The three Black scholars in new roles are Nikia A. Laurie at North Carolina Central University, Christopher Freeburg at the University of Illinois, and Dawn M. Turner at Oakwood University in Alabama.

Three African American Who Have Been Assigned to Administrative Posts in Higher Education

Charlie W. Coleman, III is the new associate vice president of development at Texas Southern University in Houston. Shawnrece Campbell was named assistant vice president for diversity and inclusion at Northern Michigan University and Leroy Hamilton, Jr. was appointed assistant provost at Hampton University in Virginia.

Angela Mensah of the University of Arkansas Honored by the National Communication Association

Dr. Mensah was honored for her development of the service-learning designated course, "Communicating Body Image." Dr. Mensah's course aims to identify hidden assumptions about body image as it relates to the intersections of race, class, gender, and body image in America.

Universities Announce the Appointment of Three Black Scholars to New Positions

Professor Rosemarie Wesson was named associate vice chancellor and university vice provost for research at the City of New York. Charles E. Menifield was named a University Professor at Rutgers University–Newark and Sonya Grier was named to the Eminent Scholar Chair in Marketing at the Kogod School of Business of American University in Washington, D.C.

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