University Board of Trustees members honored
Three members of the University’s Board of Trustees were honored during the governing body’s regular June 29 public meeting.
With the end of her final Board term only six months away, Dr. Devona Williams presided over her final meeting as the Board Chair, an office she has served in since January 2018.
In recognition of her two-term Board service and her 5½ years as the Board Chair, Dr. Williams not only received a framed Tribute from Dr. Tony Allen, but Gov. John Carney also attended the meeting to present the outgoing Chair with the Order of the First State award.
Dr. Williams was first appointed by then-Gov. Jack Markell to the Board of Trustees in early 2012. She served as the Chair of the Board’s Educational Policy Committee, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board’s Innovation and Sustainability Committee, as well as a member of the Audit, Governance, and Presidential Search committees.
In 2017, the Board elected Dr. Williams as the Vice Chair of the Board. She joined Dr. Wilma Mishoe – who at that time was elected the Board Chair – in a historic first, as it was the first time the top two officers of the University Board of Trustees were females.
When Dr. Mishoe took over as acting University President in January 2018, Dr. Williams became the acting Board Chair. When the Board appointed Dr. Mishoe as the permanent University President in June 2018, at the same time the Board elected Dr. Williams as the Board Chair for 2018-2019. She was re-elected four times as Board Chair between 2019 and 2022.
During the meeting, Dr. Williams presented Trustee Leroy Tice with a ceremonial gavel in recognition of his recent election as the Board Chair for the upcoming 2023-24 academic year.
The University also honored outgoing Vice Chair John Ridgeway, who became the acting Vice Chair in January 2018, and then was elected as Vice Chair in June 2018 as well as re-elected annually from 2019 through 2022.
Trustee Ridgeway served as the Chair of the Board’s Operation and Presidential Search Committees, as a member of its Athletics and Audit & ERM committees, as well as the Chair of the University’s 130th Anniversary Committee. He is currently serving his second Board term.
The University also honored Trustee Harold Stafford, who is stepping down from the Board after five years of service. Trustee Stafford served as a member of the Board’s Innovation & Sustainability and Audit & Enterprise Risk Management committees, as well as the Chair of the Operation Committee’s Housing Subcommittee.
Dr. Allen also recognized Juanita Pritchett, University alumna, ’68, and widow of the late Maurice Pritchett, an esteemed alumnus, ’65, who passed away in April.
The University President announced his formal recommendation to Christina School District Superintendent Dan Shelton to rename the new Bancroft School after the late Mr. Pritchett, who was the principal of that school from 1975-2005.