Boston University names Melissa Gilliam as first Black, female Boston University president

Boston University announced on Wednesday a new president who is making history.

Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam has been named the school’s 11th president and is the first Black, female leader in the university’s history.

Gilliam is no stranger to Boston, she graduated from Harvard Medical School and is currently the executive vice president and provost of Ohio State University.

“I’m looking forward to hearing from people, learning and listening. I lead by listening, collaborating, and empowering other people,” Gilliam said. “That is the best way to run big organizations, to get everyone excited and engaged, and doing more than they think they’re capable of doing. This philosophy is core to shared governance, an essential component of a thriving university,” Gilliam added.

Gilliam says she was drawn to BU because of its commitment to being accessible to all people.

“From the very beginning, I was able to form that connection to Boston University,” she said. “And I always knew it as a place that was going places that other institutions weren’t.”

She will start work on July 1, 2024, succeeding Robert Brown who served as BU’s 10th president for 18 years.

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