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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary


For Immediate Release April 30, 1999
         PRESIDENT CLINTON NAMES EARL S. RICHARDSON AS CHAIR AND
         WILLIS B. MCLEOD AS MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF ADVISORS ON
              HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

The President today announced his intent to appoint Dr. Earl S. Richardson to serve as Chair and Dr. Willis B. McLeod to serve as a Member of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Dr. Earl Richardson, of Baltimore, Maryland, is President of Morgan State University, a position he has held since 1984. He has served as a Member of the Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities since 1994. During his tenure as President of Morgan State, Dr. Richardson has dramatically increased fundraising, freshman application numbers, and student enrollment. From 1982-1984, he served as Assistant to the President of the University of Maryland System. Dr. Richardson was the Executive Assistant to the Chancellor and a part-time lecturer at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore from 1975-1982, and previously served as the University's Director of Career Planning and Placement. He has served on various boards, including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's Board of Directors and the Morris Goldseker Foundation. Dr. Richardson received a B.A. degree from Maryland State College, and M.S. and doctoral degrees in Educational Administration from the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Willis B. McLeod, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, has served as Chancellor of Fayetteville State University since 1995 and is currently a member of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As Chancellor, Dr. McLeod has been instrumental in forming a regional partnership with leaders of public schools, community colleges, and universities to focus on strengthening the educational pipeline from pre-school to post-graduate studies. During his thirty-four year career in education, he has also served as a mathematics teacher, principal, assistant and associate superintendent, and superintendent of schools in Petersburg, Virginia and Columbia, South Carolina. He serves on the Board of Directors of Wachovia Bank, the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education Foundation, the Fayetteville Area Economic Development Corporation, and is President-elect of the Fayetteville Partnership, Inc. Dr. McLeod received a B.S. degree in Mathematics from Fayetteville State University, and M.Ed and Ed.D. degrees in School Administration from the University of Virginia.

The President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) advises the President and Secretary of Education on issues of importance to the strengthening and ongoing viability of the nation's historically black colleges. The Board issues an annual report to the President which includes recommendations for new initiatives as well as strategies for expanding the participation of HBCUs in current federal programs.

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