Obama appoints FAMU alumnus to lead White House Initiative on HBCUs

Yesterday, U.S. President Barack Obama announced his decision to appoint FAMU alumnus George E. Cooper as the new executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Cooper will be joined by Howard University professor Ivory Toldson, who the president appointed to serve as deputy director.

“The President has called on Dr. Cooper and Dr. Toldson to fortify his Administration’s commitment to HBCUs, and to lead our national effort to champion both the rich traditions of these esteemed institutions, and their promise for the future,” said Valerie B. Jarrett, a senior White House advisor.  “I am excited to see what we can all accomplish together, to strengthen these schools, and lift up the precious young people they so faithfully serve.”

Cooper was a Senior Fellow with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, where he reviewed key federal legislative initiatives of significance to HBCUs. Previously, he served four years as President of South Carolina State University.

Prior to his HBCU service, Cooper spent 17 years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. He has also served in administrative and faculty roles at Alabama A&M University and Tuskegee University. Additionally, Cooper has served on a number of boards, including the Orangeburg Chamber of Commerce in South Carolina, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the HBCU and Limited Resource Institution Academic Advisory Group, the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, and the USDA/1980 Task Force.

Cooper received his B.S. degree in Animal Husbandry from Florida A&M University, his M.S. degree in Animal Science from Tuskegee University, and his Ph.D. in Animal Nutrition from the University of Illinois – Urbana.