Erika H. James, Ph.D.
Erika H. James, Ph.D., is the dean of Goizueta Business School at Emory University, making her the first African American female to hold that position in school history.
Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice
As the first female president of Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice is also the first African American woman to lead an independent medical school.
Johnnetta B. Cole, Ph.D.
Former Black Enterprise Women of Power Legacy Award winner Johnetta B. Cole is a true leader in the education field, serving as president of Spelman College from 1987 to 1997 and Bennett College from 2002-2007.
Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni is a literary icon who has been on the faculty at Virginia Tech since 1987 as a University Distinguished Professor. Giovanni is also a past Women of Power Legacy Award winner.
Toni Morrison
Award-winning author Toni Morrison has used her literary talent to not only influence people with her writing, but also to teach the next generation of literary greats. She’s served as a professor at several university’s including State University of New York, Rutgers University, and Princeton University.
Ruth Simmons
In 2001, Ruth Simmons was appointed as the 18th president at Brown University, making her the first black president of an Ivy League institution. Following her retirement from the position in 2012, Simmons returned to the university to serve as Professor of Comparative Literature and Africana Studies.
Simmons is also a past Women of Power Legacy Award recipient.
Melissa Harris-Perry, Ph.D.
Known as the host of her own show on MSNBC, Melissa Harris-Perry returned to her alma-mater, Wake Forest University, this year to serve as professor of Politics and International Affairs. She’s also a former professor at Tulane University, University of Chicago and Princeton University.
Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph. D.
Shirley Ann Jackson’s resume is filled with impressive accomplishments that very few individuals have achieved.
Her role as president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute made her the first African American woman to lead a national research university. In addition, Jackson is the first black woman to earn a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in nuclear physics, and the first African American to chair the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
With a resume that reads like an inspiration handbook for women in education, it’s no surprise that Jackson is also a past Women of Power Legacy Award recipient.
Evelyn Hammonds
Evelyn Hammonds was the first woman and African American to become dean of Harvard College. In May of 2013, it was announced that Hammonds was stepping down from her position as dean, but remaining on the faculty as leader of a new program on race and gender in science and medicine.
Leslie Fenwick
Serving as dean of Howard University’s School of Education, Leslie Fenwick has been a leading voice in helping to address the achievement gap that exist among minority students and their peers.
In addition to fulfilling her position at Howard, Fenwick is dedicated to increasing the number of minority teachers, as she is co-principal investigator for a program called Ready to Teach that helps to train the next generation of educators.
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS! Join us for the landmark 10th Annual Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit hosted by State Farm, March 2—4, 2015, at Fort Lauderdale Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Fort Lauderdale, FL. This exciting, one-of-a-kind executive leadership summit is designed to train, equip and encourage women to become industry leaders, learn career strategies, and discover proven work—life balance techniques. Register Now! https://blackenterprise.com/wps