Who will replace Cynthia Warrick as Stillman College president?
Stillman College has moved one step closer to finding a new president with the current president, Cynthia Warrick, set to retire in June.
Stillman's Trustee Presidential Search Committee interviewed three potential candidates this week to fill the presidential role: F. Erik Brooks, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Central State University in Ohio; Willie L. Todd Jr., president of Denmark Technical College in South Carolina; and Yolanda Page, provost at Savannah State University.
The committee hosted two separate interview sessions, one in-person and and the other via Zoom, to allow candidates to meet and answer questions from Stillman staff and Tuscaloosa area leaders.
Sessions for Stillman College cabinet members, faculty, staff, students, and alumni were held in the Warner Presentation Room in the Wynn Center. Sessions with Tuscaloosa area leaders were held at Hotel Indigo in the Yellowhammer Room.
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Stillman College spokesman David Miller said the committee is expected to select the new president by the end of May.
Here is a look at all three candidates:
F. Erik Brooks
Brooks is a native of Montgomery and a professor of political science. He earned a doctor of philosophy from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2002. He also holds master's degrees from Auburn University, Alabama Sate University and Troy University.
Brooks has written and produced articles on the subjects of race, African-American history, public administration and American politics with his work appearing in scholarly journals, encyclopedias, academic guides and books. He has authored or edited 14 books.
Brooks is a member of several professional and social organizations. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. When not working, he enjoys watching sports and traveling to civil rights and Civil War museums.
He now serves as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.
Willie L. Todd Jr.
Todd is a native of Decatur and has more than 28 years of experience in higher education at six higher education institutions.
As president of Denmark Tech in South Carolina, Todd has shepherded more than $32 million in external funding to the institution. He cultivated more than 24 partnerships and collaborations with Fortune 500 companies, regional organizations, six school districts, and other higher education institutions to strengthen Demark Tech’s infrastructure.
In the past four years under Todd’s leadership, Denmark Technical College became the fastest-growing public college in the South Carolina Technical College System, where he was recognized earlier this year as the 2022-2023 President/CEO of the Year by the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners.
Todd earned a doctor of philosophy degree in English from Georgia State University and a master of education degree in higher education administration from Regent University. He also holds two degrees from Albany State University: a master of education degree in English education and a bachelor of arts degree in English.
Todd is a member of 100 Black Men of America and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
Yolanda Page
Page is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana, and has held leadership roles as a vice president for academic affairs, dean, assistant dean, department chairperson and program director during her 29-year higher education career.
Page has led academic and co-curricular initiatives that have increased the academic profile of eachinstitution at which she has served. She has also secured or influenced about $40 million in private and government funding.
Page’s administrative experience spans public and private institutions. Before her appointment at Savannah State University in Georgia, she was vice president of academic affairs at Dillard University, a private HBCU that consistently has a national ranking among the top 15 HBCUs.
Under Page’s leadership, Dillard University’s biology program (ranked ninth) and film program (ranked 13th) majors were named top programs among Study.com's 2021 Top-Ranked Schools. Intelligent.com's 2021 ranking for small business management degree programs placed Dillard at 29th and Learn.org ranked Dillard 24th in communications bachelor’s degree programs (2020).
Page earned a bachelor of arts degree in English with a minor in business management from Dillard University and a master of arts and a doctor of philosophy degrees in American and African-American literature from Louisiana State University.
Page is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Jack and Jill of America.
Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Stillman College interviews three candidates to fill role of president
