Alabama State University president Dr. Quinton Ross has been named to the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the White House announced Thursday.
Ross will serve alongside actress and activist Taraji P. Henson, NBA star Chris Paul, United Airlines president Brett Hart and 14 other distinguished board members, including college presidents, business executives and activists. The purpose of the advisory board is to advance the goal of the HBCU Initiative — first started during the Carter administration, which seeks to “increase the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest quality education to their students and continue to be engines of opportunity. and administration in its efforts to aid and further the cause of HBCUs around the country.”
Ross was not selected by chance. In his five years at the helm of ASU, he has steered the university to a remarkable turnaround. Fundraising is up, troubled budgets are a thing of the past and the once prevalent public bickering among school leaders has seemingly disappeared. ASU was a leader in the state on COVID response, and was primarily responsible for large portions of Montgomery’s poorest communities receiving vaccines and regular testing.
In a press release announcing the appointments, the White House noted that the Biden-Harris administration is particularly focused on HBCUs and their positive impacts, having devoted more than $5.8 billion in support in just over a year. The advisory board will now help the administration devote even more resources to worthy projects and initiatives.
