President Obama Re-establishes President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Announces Members

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WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama signed a new Executive Order re-establishing the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. A copy of the Executive Order (www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/2010exe_order.pdf) is attached. 

The Board of Advisors, created in 1981 by Executive Order, is tasked with advising the President and the Secretary of Education on methods, programs, and strategies to strengthen these valued institutions. The signing of the Executive Order today represents the Administration’s commitment to assure increased access to federally-sponsored programs and opportunities for the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  It will also contribute to the Administration’s efforts to increase the number and percentage of college-trained Americans by the year 2020.

President Obama also announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to serve on the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities:

William R. Harvey, Chairman, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Lawrence S. Bacow, Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Evelynn M. Hammonds, Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Beverly Wade Hogan, Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Edward Lewis, Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Ronald Mason, Jr., Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Valerie Mosley, Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Willie Pearson Jr., Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Beverly Daniel Tatum, Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Kenneth Tolson, Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
David Wilson, Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

President Obama said, “I am pleased to announce the appointments of these talented, diverse and accomplished individuals to the Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, all of whom have shown a deep commitment to the mission of these institutions, which are as relevant and necessary to our society today as they were when first established.” 

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities:

William R. Harvey, Appointee for Chairman, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Dr. William R. Harvey has served as President of Hampton University since 1978.  During his tenure, he has increased enrollment, raised the endowment, raised the average SAT scores for entering freshmen, and implemented innovative programs which have led to increased opportunities for Hampton graduates.   Prior to joining Hampton, Dr. Harvey worked in various roles at Harvard University, Fisk University, and Tuskegee University.  He previously served on the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges as well as the President’s National Advisory Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, Commission on Presidential Scholars, and U. S. Department of Commerce Minority Development Advisory Board.   Dr. Harvey is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Reserve.  He is a graduate of Talladega College and earned his doctorate in College Administration from Harvard University.

Lawrence S. Bacow, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Lawrence S. Bacow has served as the President of Tufts University since 2001. He is a lawyer and economist whose research focuses on environmental policy. Bacow is also known as an advocate for broader access to higher education, the importance of need-based financial aid, and the role of civic engagement in colleges and universities. Prior to coming to Tufts, Bacow was the Chancellor and Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Bacow received his S.B. from MIT, J.D. from Harvard Law School, and M.P.P. and Ph.D. from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Evelynn M. Hammonds, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Evelynn M. Hammonds is Dean of Harvard College and the Barbara Gutmann Rosenkrantz Professor of the History of Science and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University.  She previously served as Harvard’s first Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity from 2005-2008.  Her current work focuses on the intersection of scientific, medical, and socio-political concepts of race in the United States. Before joining the Harvard faculty, Professor Hammonds taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she was the founding director of the MIT Center for the Study of Diversity in Science, Technology, and Medicine.  She has published articles on the history of disease, race and science, African American feminism, African American women and the epidemic of HIV/AIDS, and analyses of gender and race in science and medicine.  She is the recipient of numerous awards including an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Spelman College.  Professor Hammonds earned a Ph.D. in the history of science from Harvard University, an S.M. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a B.E.E. in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in physics from Spelman College.

Beverly Wade Hogan, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Beverly Wade Hogan was named President of Tougaloo College in 2002.  She previously served on the College’s Board of Trustees and as the Interim President, Executive Assistant to the President, and Vice President for Institutional Advancement.  She was also the Founding Director of the Owens Health, Wellness & Human Resources Center.  Additionally she has taught courses on public policy at Jackson State University and is a frequent speaker at colleges and universities across the country and abroad.  President Hogan has been a scholar with the Kettering Foundation where her research focused on higher education and civic responsibility.  She received her B.A. from Tougaloo College and M.P.A. from Jackson State University.  She is also the recipient of a number of honorary doctorates.

Edward Lewis, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Edward Lewis is the Co-Founder of Essence magazine and Chairman and Publisher Emeritus of Essence Communications Inc., which is one of the largest African-American owned communications companies in the United States.   For 35 years, he led the strategic direction of Essence and built it into the multi-media leader that it has become today.  A frequent speaker at universities and business schools across the country, he is also the current Chairman of Latina Media Ventures and former Chairman of the Magazine Publishers of America.  Lewis received his B.A. and M.A. from the University of New Mexico.

Ronald Mason, Jr., Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Ronald Mason, Jr. has served as President of Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, since 2000.  He was previously the Founder and Executive Director for Tulane and Xavier Universities’ National Center for the Urban Community.  During his 18 year tenure at Tulane, President Mason also held appointments as Senior Vice President and General Counsel and as Vice President for Finance and Operations.  He began his career as a lawyer with the Southern Cooperative Development Fund, Inc.  President Mason has served on the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity, and the American Council on Education Board of Directors.  He received his B.A. and J.D. from Columbia University.

Valerie Mosley, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Valerie Mosley is a Senior Vice President, Partner, and Portfolio Manager for Wellington Management Company, LLP, a $540 billion global investment firm.   Valerie personally manages billions of dollars for institutional clients, serves on two of the firm’s fixed income strategy groups, and has chaired the firm’s Industry Strategy Group.  Before joining Wellington Management in 1992, Mosley worked at Chase Manhattan Bank, Kidder Peabody, and P.G. Corbin Asset Management.  She speaks frequently on issues related to the economy and investments, personal empowerment, and financial literacy.  She is also working with high schools to develop a financial education program that can be scaled nationally.  Mosley received her B.A. from Duke University and her M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

Willie Pearson Jr., Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Willie Pearson, Jr. is a Professor of Sociology at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of History, Technology, and Society.  He specializes in the sociology of science and sociology of the family. His research focuses primarily on broadening participation in science and engineering and the careers of African-American Ph.D. scientists.  He is the author or co-editor of numerous books and articles, including Beyond Small Numbers: Voices of African American PhD Chemists (2005). Pearson is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and former Chair of the Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering, Office of the Director, National Science Foundation. He received his Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

Beverly Daniel Tatum, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum became the ninth President of Spelman College in 2002.  During her tenure, the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement (LEADS) was created and its annual Women of Color Leadership Conference established as a national professional development resource.  She has also increased scholarship support for students and supported innovative programs such as the construction of an LEED-certified “green” residence hall.  She previously served as a faculty member at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Westfield State College, and Mount Holyoke College, where she also served as Dean and Acting President.   In 2005, Dr. Tatum was awarded the prestigious Brock International Prize in Education for her innovative leadership in the field.  Formerly a member of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Dr. Tatum also serves on the boards of the Institute for International Education, the Council of Independent Colleges, Teach for America, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.  Dr. Tatum earned a B.A. degree in psychology from Wesleyan University, and M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from University of Michigan. She also holds a M.A. in Religious Studies from Hartford Seminary.

Kenneth Tolson, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Kenneth Tolson is the Executive Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and Innovation Transformation Officer for the Emerging Technology Consortium, a division of TBED21.  TBED21-ETC is a non-partisan research and educational institute whose mission is to formulate and promote public policies to advance technological innovation and economic productivity in America. Tolson has served in various senior information technology and management focused roles for both public and private sectors.  He has held the position of Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer managing large scale technology implementation programs for the Federal Government and other agencies.  He is a member of the National Society for Black Engineers and multiple technology industry associations. Tolson also founded The Melvin B. Tolson Foundation in honor of his grandfather who was a noted African American poet  and educator.  He received his B.S. from Morehouse College and is a former United States Marine Corps Reserve Officer Candidate.

David Wilson, Appointee for Member, President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Dr. David Wilson was recently named as the next President of Morgan State University.  He has over 31 years of experience in higher education from leading colleges and universities across the country.  Dr. Wilson is currently the Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and University of Wisconsin-Extension. Prior to his present position, Dr. Wilson served in numerous capacities, from Vice President to faculty and administrative roles, at Rutgers University, Kentucky State University, Radcliffe College, Auburn University and Tuskegee University. He received his B.S. in political science and a Ed.M. from Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University).  He also and earned a second Ed.M. in Educational Planning and Administration and a Doctorate in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University.