Civil Rights Attorney and Prominent Educator Dr. Gregory Vincent Leads Talladega College

The Talladega College Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Gregory Vincent as its 21st President effective June 1, 2022.

A seasoned educator, prior to joining Talladega College Dr. Vincent was Professor of Educational Policy and Law, Inaugural Executive Director of the Education and Civil Rights Initiative, and Program Chair of the Ph.D. Senior Diversity Officer Specialization at the University of Kentucky. Vincent, “…rose to prominence as a result of his robust defense of the University of Texas at Austin’s affirmative action case that was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 and 2016. At the time, Vincent, was Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement at UT Austin and served as the university’s spokesperson in that nationally recognized legal case.” Vincent also served as the W.K. Kellogg Professor at the University of Texas at Austin and held a number of executive leadership positions and professorships at several flagship universities.

According to Mrs. Rica Lewis-Payton, Talladega College Board of Trustee member and search committee chair, Dr. Vincent's proven record of exceptional leadership and measurable results in public service, business, academia, and community sealed the deal. “Dr. Vincent’s unique position and values resonated.”

Dr. Vincent served as President of Hobart and William Smith Colleges in New York. Although his tenure was short-lived due to an allegation of plagiarism, Dr. Vincent resolved the issue and has continued a successful career in higher education. His ability to address the situation and to move on is an example of leadership and determination.

Gregory Vincent was born in Harlem, NY, and was inspired to attend law school by Thurgood Marshall who was a parishioner at the same church he attended as a young person. His interest in civil rights was sparked at an early age. However, according to Vincent, “Everything has been around this moral compass of doing the right things the right way, living up to the ideals of our democratic society, which is why I moved into education,” Vincent said. “The thought was that if I moved into education, I could begin to work on … issues before the harm even occurred. That’s been part of my inspiration.”

Gregory Vincent eared his J.D. from the Ohio University Moritz College of Law. He earned his EdD from the University of Pennsylvania. According to his bio, he was an assistant attorney general in the Office of the Ohio Attorney General where he successfully argued several major civil rights cases before the Supreme Court of Ohio. He was later appointed Director for Regional and Legal affairs for the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and vice president and lead counsel for Bank One. He also founded an Ohio-based law firm focusing on civil rights, education, and employment, and co-founded a global diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm.

Howard Law Dean Danielle Ren Holley Named 20th President of Mount Holyoke College

Danielle Ren Holley was named this week as the 20th President of Mount Holyoke College effective July 1, 2023.

After earning her J.D. Harvard University Law School, Holley clerked for Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. She also practiced civil litigation at Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP in Houston, Texas. Prior to joining the Howard University Law School faculty, she was the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of South Carolina. She also previously served on the faculty at Hofstra University School of Law. She is a noted scholar of education law and civil rights, and an expert on diversity in the legal profession and higher education.

A superstar among law deans, Danielle Holley was mentioned as a possible U.S. Supreme Court nominee to replace Justice Breyer. According to her bio, Holley is on the Executive Committee of the Board of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and on the board of the Howard University Middle School for Math and Science. She is also Liberty Fellow through the Aspen Global Leadership Network. She is also a fellow with the American Council of Education.

In announcing her appointment, Mount Holyoke Board of Trustees Chair Karena V. Strella stated, “In addition to her exceptional leadership and ability to cultivate shared purpose, President-elect Holley brings a strong vision for what Mount Holyoke is and, more importantly, what our College can become. She has a strong track record of strategic growth and innovation, which will serve us well.”

The President of Howard University has credited Holley with leading, "…the law school to unprecedented heights, including moving the Howard University Law School rankings into the top 100 in the U.S. News & World Report, establishing the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center and driving applications to all-time highs, to highlight just a few.” Further the press release reported, “Other achievements of President-elect Holley’s tenure at the Howard School of Law include the introduction of a six-year BA/JD program, the launch of experiential learning and career preparation initiatives with World Bank, Microsoft and Amazon Studios, among others, and a 200 percent increase in fundraising success, including a $10 million grant to support public interest law, the largest in the Howard School of Law’s history.”

Bonita Brown Appointed Interim President of Northern Kentucky University

Attorney Bonita Brown was selected in January 2023 as the interim President of Northern Kentucky University (NKU). Brown joined NKU in 2019 and most recently served as NKU’s Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. According to the announcement, the interim president appointment precludes her from applying for the permanent position.

Brown is a seasoned higher education administrator. Not long after earning her JD at Wake Forest University School of Law, Brown entered higher education first as Assistant to the President at Livingstone College in 2002 and then at Johnson C. Smith University. In 2004 she was appointed as assistant university attorney at Winston-Salem State University. She then became Chief of Staff at the University of North Texas and then Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Brown then joined the Education Trust in Washington, DC. and then Achieve the Dream before joining NKU.