Walter Kimbrough Announced as Inaugural President in Residence for Rutgers CMSI and Proctor Institute
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Natalie Passov | natalie.passov@gse.rutgers.edu | 848-932-0728
New Brunswick, N.J., November 28, 2023— The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) and Samuel Dewitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute) are proud to announce their inaugural President in Residence, Walter Kimbrough. Having been the 7th president of Dillard University and 12th president of Philander Smith College, he brings ample experience and expertise.
"I'm really excited to serve as President in Residence for the Proctor Institute and CMSI,” shared Kimbrough. “Not only is it a great opportunity to share some ideas with a new generation of scholars, but I hope to learn from them about the issues we need to tackle in new, creative ways."
With his appointment beginning in January 2024, Kimbrough will actively engage with the Rutgers CMSI and the Proctor Institute. He will offer valuable resources and contribute to research, programming, and outreach to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Students, faculty, and affiliates will have a unique opportunity to benefit from his extensive knowledge on HBCUs, and hazing.
“We are looking forward to having Walter join us in the Spring semester. I am eager to witness the important impact he will have on upcoming programs,” said Marybeth Gasman, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor at Rutgers University. “His appointment marks an exciting chapter for the Proctor Institute and CMSI.”
Kimbrough is on President Biden’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs, advancing the goals of the HBCU initiative. He is also a national expert on fraternities and sororities. Kimbrough has served as an expert witness in hazing cases and authored the influential book, Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities. He will lead webinars on hazing in Greek Life and HBCUs in January 2024 and April 2024, respectively.
Read more about Walter Kimbrough here.
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About the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice
The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity, and Justice (Proctor Institute) is a national center that focuses on issues of leadership, equity, and justice within the context of higher education. It brings together researchers, practitioners, and community members to work toward the common goals of diversifying leadership, enhancing equity, and fostering justice for all. The Proctor Institute is located at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, in the Graduate School of Education and, houses the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI). For more information about the Proctor Institute, please visit https://proctor.gse.rutgers.edu/.
About the Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions
The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) brings together researchers and practitioners from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions. CMSI’s goals include elevating the educational contributions of MSIs; ensuring that they are a part of national conversations; bringing awareness to the vital role MSIs play in the nation’s economic development; increasing the rigorous scholarship of MSIs; connecting MSIs’ academic and administrative leadership to promote reform initiatives; and strengthening efforts to close educational achievement gaps among disadvantaged communities. The Rutgers Center for Minority Serving Institutions is part of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Leadership, Equity and Justice (Proctor Institute) at the Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. For further information about CMSI, please visit http://cmsi.gse.rutgers.edu.
