Spelman College President Dr. Helene Gayle, who arrived at the all-women’s college with much fanfare as an acclaimed physician and health care official, has officially left the Atlanta school.
On Thursday, roughly a month after saying Gayle would be taking a leave of absence, Spelman announced that she would not be returning.
The news hit most of the Spelman community through a letter from Board of Trustees Chair Lovette T. Russell, who expressed “deep admiration for Dr. Gayle and appreciation for her service as the 11th president of Spelman College.”
Spelman has declined to say why Gayle initially took a leave of absence.
Attempts to reach her after Thursday’s announcement were not successful. But in a statement released by Russell, Gayle thanked the board for their support and said she was looking forward to moving on.
Credit: Spelman College
Credit: Spelman College
“I thank the larger Spelman community for this magnificent opportunity to serve as president. I have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the outstanding students and future world leaders who have chosen to attend Spelman College,” Gayle said in the statement. “I look forward to my next chapter.”
In October, Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, the former chair of the school’s board of trustees and a new limited partner with the Atlanta Falcons, assumed day-to-day duties as interim president.
Russell said Brewer, a 1984 Spelman graduate, will continue in that interim role as the school now prepares to launch a national search for a new leader. Brewer is also the former president and CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance and COO of Starbucks. Before leading Starbucks, Brewer was president of Sam’s Club.
“The Board will work diligently to ensure a smooth leadership transition. We will update the community once we have finalized the path forward for identifying and selecting our next president,” Russell said. “In the meantime, we are confident that Spelman will continue to prosper and thrive under the leadership of Roz Brewer and the commitment of our talented students, faculty, staff and my fellow trustees.”
On Oct. 11, officials at Spelman announced that Gayle was taking a “personal leave of absence effective immediately” from the nation’s top-rated Black college located near downtown Atlanta.
Gayle arrived on campus in July 2022 after a celebrated career as a global public health expert who helped guide the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine outreach efforts.
She is the former chief executive of CARE USA and worked at the CDC from 1984 to 2001, specializing in HIV/AIDS prevention. She came to Spelman to succeed the retiring Mary Schmidt Campbell, from Chicago Community Trust, one of the nation’s oldest and largest community foundations.
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