'Ready to pass the torch': Stillman College's first female president to retire

Cynthia Warrick, Stillman College's first female president, will retire after leading the historically Black college for five years.

Warrick announced her retirement Thursday during a news conference held at the Wynn Center on the Stillman College campus in Tuscaloosa. Warrick's retirement will go into effect at the end of her current contract on June 30, 2023.

Warrick, 68, said she is choosing to retire because she wants to relax and spend more time with her family, which includes grandchildren.

She was originally appointed as an interim president at Stillman and Warrick said she didn't plan to fill the leadership role full time. But she said the role began to feel like a mission she was called to fulfill.

"I really came here as an interim and didn't expect to be here this long. But you know, the job called me, God called me and we were able to accomplish miracles. Believe me, we were able to accomplish a lot in a short period of time ... I'm ready to pass the torch on to the next person to take up the race," Warrick said.

She was named Stillman's seventh president in April 2017 after serving as interim president for four months. When she arrived, Stillman was at a critical juncture, both financially and academically, Warrick said.

"I was tasked with a real challenge, and my husband's a finance guy and he said, 'You'll be home in three months'. It was just that bad," Warrick said.

"But I figured God didn't send me here to close the college down. And we were going to do what we had to do, to make sure that the college was going to be strong again and flourish. And now, after five and a half years, we're there," Warrick said.

Some of Warrick's achievements during her tenure at Stillman include stabilizing the college's finances and academic standing, enhancing the college's donor relationships and strengthening the college's connection to the Presbyterian Church USA and the West End community of Tuscaloosa.

According to a Stillman news release, Warrick is leaving Stillman as a debt-free institution after $40 million in debt has been either paid off or forgiven.

"Dr. Warrick has been a significant part of the existence of Stillman College -- her contributions are immeasurable," said Donald Comer, chair of the Stillman College board of trustees.

"The college has gone through some very rocky times and she has been the anchor that has kept us on track. She has raised the brand of the institution and enhanced the college's reputation," Comer said.

In her retirement, Warrick said she plans to return to her San Antonio, Texas, hometown to be closer to family. However, Warrick said she will continue to play a role at Stillman in some capacity after her departure.

Stillman's board of trustees has initiated a national search for Warrick's successor. The college plans to find a replacement by the June 30, 2023, end of Warrick's contract.

"Stillman is a special place and Tuscaloosa is a great college town. I will cherish the outpouring of support from the local community, the state and the alumni that has contributed to the success that we have achieved during my tenure," Warrick said. "Stillman is now a place where a new president can build on the teaching, research and the community service that we established in the past five years."

Warrick came to Stillman after serving as a senior fellow for research and evaluation with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund in Washington. She previously served as an interim president at two other schools — South Carolina State University and Grambling State University.

Stillman College was founded in 1876 and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Cynthia Warrick to retire as Stillman College's first female president