Fisk University News March 23, 2017 Dr. Kevin D. Rome, Sr. Named 16th President of Fisk University The Board of Trustees of Fisk University have announced the hiring of Dr. Kevin D. Rome, Sr. as the 16th President of Fisk University. Rome currently serves as president of Lincoln University of Missouri and will remain in that position until he begins his term on July 1. Interim President Frank L. Sims will continue to lead Fisk University until June 30. The Board of Trustees selected Rome after nearly an eight-month process that involved engagement forums with alumni clubs in multiple states, on-campus faculty and staff forums, and communications with key stakeholders of the university community. Trustees Challis Lowe and Cynthia McIntyre led the Presidential Search Committee with assistance from Issacson, Miller Executive Search Firm. "Fisk was looking for a transformational leader who would be able to shape our future and accelerate our growth as a leader in the Liberal Arts and STEM disciplines," said Barbara Bowles, Chair of the Fisk University Board of Trustees. "We believe that Dr. Kevin Rome is that person". Added Dr. Cynthia McIntyre, Trustee and Chair of the Search Committee: "Dr. Rome's achievements in partnering Lincoln University with the local community included new academic and civic programs as well as capital development projects. His accomplishments at Lincoln bode well for increasing Fisk's partnerships with the greater Nashville Community." Rome was named President of Lincoln University of Missouri in July 2013 after serving as Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at North Carolina Central University. With over 15 years in higher education, he has served as Vice President for Student Services at Morehouse College, Vice President for Campus Life at Clayton State University, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Diversity at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis. "I am pleased to be named the 16th President of Fisk University and I applaud Interim President Frank L. Sims for leading the university through the sesquicentennial anniversary year. He and those who have held the position on either a permanent or temporary basis have left a strong legacy of leadership, upon which I am ready to build," said Rome. "Our nation's HBCUs are facing an interesting chapter in history and I am certain Fisk will see its story of academic excellence, diversity, and integrity expand over the next 150 years. It will be my pleasure to work alongside the entire Fisk University family as we continue to cultivate scholars and leaders one by one." During his tenure at Lincoln, Rome managed a budget in excess of $57 million and was responsible for overseeing the operational efficiency of the university. Under his leadership, the university witnessed a 50% increase in student enrollment in addition to the creation of institutional programs and initiatives. A graduate of Morehouse College, Rome holds a master's degree from the University of Georgia and a doctorate degree from the University of Texas at Austin. About Fisk University Founded in 1866, Fisk University is a private, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee. Consistently recognized for quality and value, Fisk was ranked in the Top 10 by the 2017 U.S. News & World Report rankings of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Fisk was also ranked #1 by The Washington Monthly for most awarded research grants in the 2016 rankings of National Liberal Arts institutions. To learn more about Fisk University, please visit www.fisk.edu<http://www.fisk.edu/>. SANDRA M. PHOENIX HBCU Library Alliance Executive Director Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library 111 James P. Brawley Drive SW Atlanta, GA 30314 404-978-2118 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org/ sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org%3cmailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org>> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/