Dr. David Wilson holds a B.S. in political science and an M.S. in education from Tuskegee University, an Ed.M. in educational planning and administration from Harvard University, and an Ed.D. in administration, planning and social policy, also from Harvard. He has held his presidency at Morgan State since 2010.
He closed out the Leading Voices Summit with a discussion on how staff diversity directly contributes to the success of minority students.
Established in 1837, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania continues to build on its legacy as America’s first institution of higher education for Blacks.
“Our Mission is to equip and empower students of diverse backgrounds to be visionary leaders in their chosen fields,” the university states on their website. “We offer innovative approaches to teaching and quality academic programs that expose our students to pioneering ideas, research, and civic engagement. Our transformative approach to student development emphasizes the whole person, fostering success in the classroom, on campus, and in life.”
Wilson gave an overview about how HBCUs came into existence to serve as institutions where Black people can thrive academically and professionally. He highlighted the core values of Morgan State University which are leadership, innovation, integrity, diversity, excellence, and respect.
Morgan State is the number one institution in the country awarding Blacks degrees in fields including journalism, engineering, architecture, finance, and chemistry. The university prides itself on how welcoming they are to people from all walks of life.
“When you go back and look at the way HBCUs came into existence, and they have always embraced diversity as part of the culture of the institution, we never created a culture that was non-welcoming to faculty and students,” Wilson said.
Wilson said that mentoring has helped with the recruiting and retention of faculty. According to Wilson, the faculty at Morgan State deeply care for the education of their students and play a huge role in graduates being successful in their career fields.
“There’s also a strong sense of community across HBCUs,” Wilson said. “There really is a sense of family on the campuses.