COURTESY LIVINGSTONE COLLEGE

Anthony Davis, a 2001 graduate of Livingstone College, was appointed president of the historically Black college by the school's board of directors.

Livingstone College’s next president is an alumnus.

The school’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name senior vice president of institutional advancement and chief operating officer Anthony Davis as Livingstone’s 13th president on Sept. 22 during the board’s annual fall meeting. In his current role, Davis, a 2001 graduate, led the historically Black college through the COVID-19 pandemic as chair of its task force in addition to managing day-to-day operations and fundraising initiatives.

“I’m happy, I’m humbled, and I’m honored to be selected to serve as the 13th president of Livingstone College,” Davis said in a statement. “Twenty-one years ago, I started on this journey to become president. It is true what poet Langston Hughes said, ‘Dreams don’t die, they are deferred.’”

Prior to Livingstone, Davis was vice president for development at The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, the nation’s oldest diversity pipeline organization.
“The Search Committee was very intentional on finding someone that would embrace students, understand the culture of the school and be familiar with the community,” board chairman Bishop Kenneth Monroe, said. “We had good candidates. We had to look at the vision of the person and if that person was able to connect with the ideals we were looking for.”

Said outgoing President Jimmy Jenkins: “I recognized Dr. Davis’ talents and his willingness to roll up his sleeves and to work hard. That’s why I appointed him chief operating officer. “In essence, he has been practicing to step into the seat of president.”

A 2001 Livingstone graduate, Davis earned his master’s degree in philanthropy and development from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota and attended the Fundraising School of Indiana University-Bloomington’s Center of Philanthropy. He earned his doctorate in ministry at The United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

Livingstone announced in July it will offer a graduate program in business administration starting Jan. 1, 2023, paving the way to a transition to university status. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which accredits postsecondary schools, approved the application.

After implementation of the 36 credit-hour MBA program, Livingstone officials plan to submit a prospectus for a master’s degree in sport management and develop a School of Graduate Studies.

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