Spelman College’s board of trustees voted unanimously Monday evening to make Dr. Helene Gayle, a longtime public health leader, the school’s 11th president.
Gayle has been the chief executive officer and president of the Chicago Community Trust, an organization that works to address wealth and equity gaps in that region, since October 2017. She began her professional career in Atlanta at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, specializing in HIV/AIDS prevention efforts and as CARE USA’s CEO for about nine years.
Spelman, a private, historically Black college for women, near downtown Atlanta, has about 2,200 students.
“Spelman has a strong history of changing lives for people who will change lives,” Gayle said in a statement. “The idea of giving back to generations of students through cutting-edge academic programs and facilities, increasing college affordability, raising financial aid support and increasing the endowment, and developing new career pathways and opportunities is what invigorates and excites me about this new role.”
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Gayle will start on July 1. She will replace Mary Schmidt Campbell, who is retiring in June.
Board chair Rosalind Brewer said Gayle has “demonstrated ability to address complex issues in communities of color” and has shown a strong commitment to equity.
Many Spelman alumna praised Gayle’s selection on social media. A handful of people questioned the pick, noting her lack of higher education administrative experience. Gayle has been a lecturer and adjunct professor.
Gayle told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview her primary goal is making Spelman more affordable for students. About 80% of its students are taking out federal student loans, according to federal government data.
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