Dr. Roderick McDavis picked as 1st Black president of Ohio University

Jet, June 14, 2004

Roderick McDavis has been selected the first Black president of Ohio University in Athens, OH, by the school's board of trustees.

McDavis, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, will become the university's 20th president. He will replace Robert Glidden, who announced his retirement in September. On July 1 McDavis will be appointed into his new post and he will assume full-time duties on campus around mid-August.

A professor of education at Virginia Commonwealth as well, McDavis, 55, has served there since 1999.

A native of Dayton, OH, McDavis earned his bachelor's degree from Ohio University in 1970. He has a master's in student personnel administration from the University of Dayton and a doctorate in counselor education and higher education administration from the University of Toledo.

McDavis has also served as professor, associate dean and dean at the University of Florida, and as dean at the University of Arkansas.

"I am very honored and deeply humbled to accept the position of president of Ohio University," said McDavis. "It's a very unique and special opportunity to be able to return to my alma mater as president."

A husband and father of two, McDavis will be the second Ohio University alum to serve there as president.