September 15, 2026

Dear Howard University Community,

As we begin a new academic year, the Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the formal launch of a comprehensive national search for Howard University’s 19th president. A year ago, the Board committed to engaging the Howard community when the national search for our next permanent president began. Today, as that search gets underway, we are honoring that commitment by inviting our community to participate in the process, helping to inform the leadership qualities that will shape Howard’s next chapter.

Selecting a president is among the Board’s most significant responsibilities. We approach this process thoughtfully and intentionally, guided by Howard’s mission, values, and aspirations, at a moment when significant changes in federal policy and funding, research, financial aid, technology, and enrollment are reshaping higher education.

Since 1867, Howard has educated leaders, promoted learning through scholarship and innovation, expanded opportunity and helped shape our nation and the world. As we look toward our next chapter, we seek a leader who will build upon this extraordinary legacy and position Howard for continued academic excellence, Research 1 impact, student success, and long-term institutional strength.

The Board has retained Russell Reynolds Associates, an executive search and leadership advisory firm, to support the national search and help identify an exceptional and diverse pool of candidates. A Presidential Search Committee has also been formed to lead the search process. The committee includes members of the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and student representatives, with Howard alumni comprising half of its membership, bringing institutional knowledge and care while ensuring that important perspectives from across the University community are reflected as the search advances.

Throughout the search, our community will have meaningful opportunities to participate in the process. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, partners, and other stakeholders are invited to visit the University’s presidential search website for more information about the listening sessions, survey, and other community engagement opportunities. The survey is now open and listening sessions will take place during the month of October.

On behalf of the entire Board, I extend deep gratitude to President Emeritus Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA, for his continuing and steady leadership as interim president. We are grateful for his extraordinary commitment to Howard and for once again answering the call to serve an institution that has been such an important part of his life. We are especially grateful that Dr. Frederick will continue serving as interim president, providing stability and continuity to the University, until the Board identifies the right leader to serve as Howard’s 19th president.

We undertake this search with tremendous optimism about our future. Together, informed by our community, we will identify the leadership necessary to extend Howard’s impact for generations to come. 

In Truth and Service, 

Leslie D. Hale 
Chair, Howard University Board of Trustees