Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been educating Black men and women for more than 100 years. Current leading indicators from high college graduation to rates to affordability point to HBCU's important role in supporting our country's leaders and scholars of color.
In March of 2015, Mary Schmidt Campbell, PhD was named the 10th president of Spelman College--an HBCU located in Atlanta and a global leader in the education of Black women. Prior to this, Dr. Campbell dedicated years in the arts and culture sector, including the Studio Museum in Harlem, as NYC's Commissioner of Cultural Affairs, and as the Dean of NYU's renowned Tisch School of the Arts. And in 2009, President Barack Obama appointed her Vice Chair of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities.
Viewing Spelman as a necessity to reach an ideal of equality, Dr. Campbell recently launched Imagine. Invent. Ascend. as part of their 2022 Strategic Plan. It is a bold new vision for the College that builds on the College’s legendary legacy to educate Black women for the 21st century.
Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D.
Spelman College, President
Jenny Hamel
Education Reporter/Producer, Ideastream Public Media
Connie Hill-Johnson
Chair of the Cleveland Foundation Board
