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In a historic appointment, Dr. Gina Spivey-Brown has been named the 12th president of Oakwood University, becoming the first woman to lead the historically Black Seventh-day Adventist institution in its 129-year history.
Spivey-Brown, who currently serves as dean of Howard University’s College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, will assume leadership on July 1, succeeding Dr. Leslie N. Pollard, who has led the Huntsville, Alabama-based university for 15 years.
“I am deeply humbled that God chose me to be the 12th president of Oakwood University for such a time as this,” said Spivey-Brown. “I look forward to collaborating with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and stakeholders to build on Oakwood’s rich history and advance its mission and vision.”
The appointment comes after what university officials described as a “comprehensive and prayerful search process.”
Dr. G. Alexander Bryant, chair of the Oakwood University Board of Trustees, praised Spivey-Brown as “a dynamic, spirit-filled, higher education administrative leader with an impressive record of enrollment growth and academic excellence.”
Spivey-Brown brings more than two decades of experience in higher education administration to the role. Her credentials include a Ph.D. and multiple professional designations, including registered nurse (RN) and fellowships in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), National Academies of Practice (FNAP), and the Academy of Distinguished Nurse Leaders (FADLN).
Before her ten-year tenure at Howard, Spivey-Brown held leadership positions at Loma Linda University and Washington Adventist University, where her accomplishments included expanding graduate and undergraduate programs, securing multimillion-dollar grants, and strengthening accreditation standards.
Her expertise has been recognized nationally. In 2023, she received the Gold Award from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, a prestigious honor in medicine and healthcare. She also serves as a consultant on program accreditation and healthcare disparities.
The appointment of Spivey-Brown continues a gradual but significant trend of women ascending to presidential roles at HBCUs. While the number of female HBCU presidents has increased in recent years, women still represent less than a third of HBCU leadership positions despite the fact that women make up the majority of students at many of these institutions.
As Oakwood’s first female president, Spivey-Brown will be tasked with building upon the university’s mission of preparing students through “excellence in faith, scholarship, and leadership” while navigating the challenges facing many small private colleges, including enrollment pressures and financial sustainability.
Oakwood University, founded in 1896 as Oakwood Industrial School, has grown to offer more than 50-degree programs to approximately 1,700 students. The institution is known for its strong programs in religion, business, and healthcare fields, as well as its emphasis on service-oriented education.