Morehouse College Appoints New President, John Wilson Jr.

It was announced Monday, November 12th, that the Board of Trustees had unanimously selected Dr. John Silvanus Wilson, Jr. to be the 11th president of Morehouse College. 

It was last January when Dr. Franklin, the current President, informed the Morehouse College family that he would be leaving his post.  At that point the Presidential Search Committee jumped into action, and spent the subsequent months working with the professional search firm Heidrick & Struggles to identify a candidate best qualified to be his successor.

The man they picked was the 1979 Morehouse graduate and esteemed educator with over 25 years of experience, Dr. John Wilson.

Dr. Wilson seems poised to know and fix the current trials and tribulations of an acclaimed HBCU, because he is the former executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. 

In fact, when the White House heard that he was to be named the next president of the school, United States President Barack Obama sent the following statement:

“John has been a trusted voice, helping my administration follow through on our commitment to strengthen historically black colleges and universities,” said President Barack Obama. “I wish John the best as he takes on this important new role as the president of Morehouse College and as he continues to inspire more of our nation's youth to pursue higher education." - President Obama

According to a letter written by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, "Dr. Wilson received his bachelor's degree from Morehouse and graduate degrees from Harvard University, including his master of theology and both a master's and a doctoral degree in administration, planning and social policy. While working at MIT, he served as a teaching fellow in Harvard University's Afro-American Studies."

Dr. Wilson will officially assume the role of president at the end of January 2013. Dr. Willis B. Sheftall will serve as acting president beginning January 1, 2013 until Dr. Wilson arrives on campus at the end of the month.