Dr. Vann R. Newkirk has stepped down as president of Fisk University. Fisk Board of Trustees Chair Frank L. Sims will serve as acting president, effective immediately.
Dr. Vann R. Newkirk
This is not Sims’s first time in such a role. He previously was Fisk’s interim president from 2015-2017.
Over the last six years, Fisk has seen notable growth and improvement, including five consecutive years of fundraising records; four consecutive years of enrollment growth – almost a 40% increase; and significant increases in its endowment.
Board member Juliette Pryor will now serve as board chair.
Board member JoLinda Herring will chair the national search committee for Fisk’s next president.
“The Board remains deeply committed to the approach that has brought Fisk to this point and will now continue to reach for an even brighter future,” Pryor said. “In order for Fisk to continue the current trajectory of once again becoming a leader in the higher education space will require a commitment to reach farther and deliver a bolder proposition than ever before. The current educational climate is immensely competitive, and Fisk is poised to take on that challenge.”
