Howard University has officially named its next president.
According to The Washington Post, Ben Vinson III was appointed as the new leader of the Washington, D.C., HBCU (historically Black college or university).
At this time, Vinson is the provost at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. Prior to that, he also served as an administrator at various universities across Washington D.C. and Maryland.
A New Start
Set to begin on Sept. 1, Vinson will become Howard’s 18th president since its inception.
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“There are so many things about Howard right now that really distinguish it as what I would call a fast-moving locomotive train,” Vinson told the outlet.
His first order of business will involve working with Congress to help maintain the school’s annual appropriation of over $250 million. This funding stream is unique to the university, setting it apart from other HBCUs due to its current student body of over 12,800 students.
Vinson will take the place of current president Wayne A.I. Frederick who is stepping down from his position after serving for roughly 10 years.
A History of Greatness
Some distinguished individuals that are products of Howard include current Madam Vice President Kamala Harris, the late Chadwick Boseman, Taraji P. Henson, and many more. The school is often referred to as “The Mecca,” as it’s been the leading educational place where Black people have sought advanced degrees for decades.
Since 2018, enrollment at the school has grown by more than 40%, and it has become a hub for not only attendees but those who contribute monetary donations and seek to protest for social justice movements, including protests that followed the death of George Floyd in 2020.
As previously reported by AfroTech, in that same year, MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos, donated a total of $40 million to Howard, marking its largest gift to date.
