Dear Colleagues,
Earlier today, June 5, Spelman College in Atlanta announced that Ayanna Howard, dean of The Ohio State University College of Engineering, will become Spelman’s next president, effective Aug. 1. She will be returning to Georgia, where she began her academic career at Georgia Tech following time working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and propelled her career as a leader in higher education and technology.
During Dean Howard’s tenure, the college launched several engineering research centers, including three that are NSF funded: AI Edge Institute, AI Institute for Intelligent Cyberinfrastructure with Computational Learning in the Environment (ICICLE), and Imageomics Institute.
Also under Dean Howard’s leadership, the College of Engineering significantly improved its financial position and strengthened its fundraising efforts while also bolstering faculty eminence. In 2024, three faculty members were selected for the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), the largest cohort in university history, and two were named to the NAE in 2023.
In addition, the college has set new records for undergraduate first-year retention, and it has improved its six-year graduation rate.
The Ohio State University and our College of Engineering have benefitted greatly from Dean Howard’s exemplary leadership, advancement of scholarly excellence, and commitment to student success. In the coming days, more information will be shared about interim leadership and our search for the college’s next outstanding dean.
Spelman was founded in 1881 as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, and it became Spelman College in 1924. Today, the college is a global leader in the education of women of African descent. More than 2,700 students from 41 states and eight foreign countries attend the college, which boasts a six-year graduation rate of 78%.
I have been privileged to collaborate with Dean Howard since she became a Buckeye in 2021, and I am confident that the students, faculty and staff of Spelman College will thrive under her outstanding leadership. Please join me in congratulating Dean Ayanna Howard and wishing all the best in the next chapter of her remarkable career.
Sincerely,
Trevor Brown
Interim Executive Vice President and Provost