Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough has informed the Board of Trustees that the 2021-2022 school year will be his last as leader of the 152-year-old historically Black institution of higher learning. Entering his 10th year at the helm of Dillard, President Kimbrough has led the University to unprecedented growth.
Walter is an innovative leader who has made an indelible impact on Dillard University,” said alumnus and board chairman Michael D. Jones. “His commitment to our mission has resulted in significant growth financially, academically, and in the community. I am excited about Dillard’s future as we enter this next era of leadership.”
Getting a $160 million loan from the federal government forgiven is among Kimbrough’s most significant accomplishments. The loan forgiveness was a transformational transaction that paved the way for significant endowment growth. During his tenure, the endowment grew by more than 115 percent, with it now exceeding $100 million and placing it among the top endowments among all historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Alumni giving grew exponentially over the past nine years. Through increased engagement, Dillard went
from 4% alumni giving to 23%, placing the University in the top tier of all colleges and universities nationwide.
Dillard’s academic profile has increased with the introduction of two signature programs, physics and film studies, and the restructuring of its nursing school to the College of Nursing. Dillard is the third-highest producer of African American undergraduate physics degrees in the United States. The University has also seen increases in its retention and graduation rates since 2012.
According to Jones, the Board of Trustees will immediately begin the process to find its eighth president.
Having recently received a 10-year reaccreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, Kimbrough will leave Dillard in a strong position for continued growth. Below is Dr. Kimbrough’s personal statement to the community.
