Howard University president Ben Vinson III will step down at the end of August after serving for about two years, with Wayne A.I. Frederick appointed as interim president during a national search for a permanent replacement. The university assures that there will be no disruption to academic operations despite leadership changes and ongoing student concerns about accounts and housing.
Howard University President Ben Vinson III is stepping down after two years amid financial challenges, budget cuts from the Trump administration, and student billing controversies, with interim leadership taken over by former president Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick.
Howard University has appointed Ben Vinson III, a historian specializing in studies of the African diaspora, as its new university president. Vinson will take over from the retiring Wayne Frederick on Sept. 1. Howard is enjoying a season of plenty, with high-profile alumni, major funding boosts, and headline-grabbing faculty members. Vinson called the Howard position, “the honor of a lifetime.”
Howard University, one of the most prominent historically Black institutions in the US, has named Ben Vinson III, a historian of the African diaspora in Latin America and provost at Case Western Reserve University, as its 18th president. Vinson will take over from Wayne A.I. Frederick on 1 September. Howard has seen a surge in demand in recent years, with enrolment growing more than 40% since 2018. It is among a group of historically Black colleges and universities that have become magnets for students, faculty and philanthropic donations amid intensifying movements for racial and social justice.
Howard University has appointed Ben Vinson III as its 18th president. Vinson is a respected academic scholar with a commitment to excellence and a vision for Howard's future. He has experience in the academy and a reputation for getting things done in a collaborative, inclusive, and integrity-driven way. The Howard community and leaders in education have expressed excitement and confidence in Vinson's ability to lead the university to new heights of success and distinction.