MIAMI GARDENS – July 15 marked the beginning of a new phase of leadership at Florida Memorial University (FMU) as Roslyn Clark Artis, Ph.D. assumed the position of interim president at South Florida’s only historically-Black college and university (HBCU).
Officials said Artis’ appointment, announced earlier this summer by the institution’s board of trustees, will foster the university’s tradition of excellence and pathway to progress toward a brighter future.
“Dr. Artis brings a wealth of expertise to the leadership team here at Florida Memorial University,” states Charles George, board chairman. “We are confident that as the interim president, she will help foster the growth and sustainability initiated by her predecessors, and will keep us on track for much continued success.”
Artis is a Trustee Scholar graduate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., where she earned her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership and Policy. She received her juris doctorate degree from West Virginia University College of Law in Morgantown, W.Va., and her bachelor of arts degree in Political Science from West Virginia State College Institute.
Artis temporarily replaces Henry Lewis III, who was appointed FMU’s 12th president barely two years ago, and was applauded for his vision and leadership, but was abruptly released amid rumors last Nov. 8 but with no clear explanation from university officials. Mary O’Banner, a senior administrator, took responsibility for day-to-day operations.
Located in Miami Gardens, FMU is a private institution offering 41 undergraduate degree programs and four graduate degree programs to a culturally diverse student body.
Since its inception in 1879, the university has been a champion for providing a solid foundation for thousands of young people and opening doors to educational opportunities that may have
otherwise been closed to them. It is widely recognized for being the birthplace of the Negro National Anthem, Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing, and the home of Barrington Irving Jr., the first and youngest pilot of African descent to fly solo around the world.
The university, accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), celebrated its 134th anniversary earlier this year.
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