Spelman College President Dr. Helene D. Gayle is taking a “personal leave of absence effective immediately” from the nation’s top-rated Black college, the school announced Friday.
Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, the former chair of the school’s board of trustees and a new limited partner with the Atlanta Falcons, has assumed day-to-day duties as interim president.
Credit: Atlanta Falcons
Credit: Atlanta Falcons
“The Trustees are committed to ensuring continuity throughout this process, and fully expect to maintain institutional operations as usual,” Board of Trustees Chair Lovette T. Russell wrote in a Friday morning letter to the Spelman community obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “We deeply value your continued support and will provide any pertinent updates as they become available.”
In a separate statement issued later by the college, officials said the school will “continue to operate seamlessly moving forward in the spirit of our core values of care, commitment, integrity, reliability and trust.”
“Our utmost priority remains the well-being of everyone in our community, as we strive to cultivate confident, responsible, and accountable students committed to personal development and success,” the statement read.
Neither the college nor Russell indicated why Gayle was taking a leave.
“At this time, we appreciate your respect for her privacy,” Russell said.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Gayle came to Spelman in July 2022 with much fanfare as the 11th president and first medical doctor to lead the 143-year-old private Black college for women, located near downtown Atlanta. She succeeded Mary Schmidt Campbell, who retired earlier that year.
Gayle is 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 from Chicago Community Trust, one of the nation’s oldest and largest community foundations.
Spelman is widely considered one of the nation’s best women’s colleges and for 18 years in a row, U.S. News & World Report ranked the school as the top historically Black college or university, HBCU, in the nation.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Brewer is a 1984 Spelman graduate and played a significant role in the oversight of Spelman for 17 years, including 12 as board chair before retiring from that position in 2023. During her tenure on the board, she worked with three Spelman presidents and chaired the two most successful fundraising campaigns in the college’s history.
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.
In a message to the board of trustees, Brewer said her Spelman experience profoundly shaped who she is.
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
“Through this transition, my focus is on guiding Spelman forward by supporting leadership, maintaining stability and ensuring we continue to meet the needs of our students,” she said. “We’ll build on our strengths while embracing change as we chart the best path for Spelman’s future. It’s a privilege to give back to the institution that has given me so much, even as I continue to grow in my own career journey.”
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