Dear Morehouse Community,
I write to inform you that I have decided to step down from the presidency of Morehouse College, effective June 30, 2025. Serving as president of this esteemed institution has been the honor of a lifetime, particularly during these years of exciting and challenging times. Over the past seven years, we have had numerous opportunities to enhance our ability to fulfill our mission and values. We have continued to develop leaders while promoting social justice, equity, access to opportunity, and peace. Together, we have met these challenges and seized opportunities.
The most challenging moment for a leader is to know when it is in his and the institution's best interest to step down. After countless hours of reflection, I believe Morehouse's future potential requires new leadership. The next president will inherit a robust platform from which to build an agenda and vision that will accelerate and enhance the positive trajectory of the College. This person will also find a community confident in its potential to be a greater Morehouse. The best moment for a leadership transition is when an institution is strong, and the building blocks are in place to achieve its vision. New leadership can bring fresh eyes, energy, and perspective to address challenges and discover new opportunities.
The College is strong today thanks to our collective work, commitment, and partnership over the last seven years. Applications are at an all-time high, and the quality of our admitted students rivals any of our peers. Many institutions and corporations recognize the importance and uniqueness of our work and seek partnerships with us. We attract world-class faculty and staff as we experience the retirements of legendary leaders who defined the College in the latter half of the 20th Century. We have invested significantly in our physical infrastructure, including renovating the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, the B.T. Harvey Stadium football field, the Edwin C. Moses Track & Field, and several on-campus classrooms, labs, and lecture halls. Additionally, the College is preparing for two new residence halls and a student center that will usher in a new beginning for the on-campus residential experience.
Our strategic theme of "Morehouse Beyond Borders" has unleashed significant innovation and impact, including the launch of our globally accessible Morehouse Online undergraduate degree completion program (the first offered by an HBCU), leadership in the realm of virtual reality as a pedagogical tool, the creation of the Center for Black Entrepreneurship with the Black Economic Alliance and Spelman College, the Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership's Higher Education in Prisons programs, and the establishment of the Black Men's Research Institute. Our students are sought after by the most prestigious graduate schools, fellowships, and employment opportunities. The external image of the College and its moral authority to address contemporary issues have been greatly enhanced and are widely supported.
Today, we stand on much firmer financial ground than ten years ago. The fiscal discipline implemented five years ago, combined with our focus on fundraising, has allowed us to move from years of structural deficits to funding campus projects, enhancing our technology infrastructure, and paying faculty and staff competitively. We are more than halfway to our historic $500 million capital campaign. The College now has a blueprint embedded in our strategic plan and capital campaign pillars as a guide for the next several years.
These achievements assure me that Morehouse is prepared to be a more profound influence in this Century than it was in the last. That is a tall order, considering that the history of the 20th Century cannot be written without including Morehouse and its contributions.
On the day of my inauguration, I shared a story about a conversation with my father in which he told me that being a father was the hardest job because he would never understand his success as a father until he saw how his children raised their grandchildren. Asked what he did in the meantime, he said, "I do the very best I can." In my inaugural address, I promised to do the absolute best I could for Morehouse. I have risen each day dedicated to delivering on that promise. I have not been perfect, but I have done my best.
I am deeply grateful to our Board of Trustees, the leadership team, and the staff and faculty who have been with me on this journey. I am confident about the College's future because of their commitment, talent, and love for our mission and community.
Morehouse alumni and parents, you are the most passionate and committed I know. Your energy has often buoyed me in trying times, and I am indebted to you.
I am most indebted to our students, who have inspired me to be a better president. Each morning, I have drawn energy from knowing that among the thousands touched by my leadership are men who will lead us into the next millennium and make a better and more just world. Each of them is like a son to me.
I must thank my wife and the First Lady of Morehouse, Willetta Lewis. She has supported me in every way and poured herself into the work of First Lady to make each student feel like a son.
The coming year will provide the Board, with input from the community, ample time to name the 13th president of Morehouse College. This will also be a period for reviewing our current operations, focusing on accelerating the College's upward trajectory.
I will continue to do my best for the College until my last day in office. After a period of rest, travel, and time with family, I will return to join the Morehouse faculty to teach, write, and aid in the completion of our capital campaign. I will forever remain committed to supporting Morehouse in its pursuit of excellence and delivering on its mission. I look forward to the upcoming school year and making it the best in my tenure.
Yours truly,
David