Howard University announced that President Ben Vinson III, Ph.D.will step down as the institution’s 18th president on August 31, 2025, concluding just under two years at the helm. The Board of Trustees has appointed Wayne A.I. Frederick, M.D., MBA—Howard’s 17th president and president emeritus—to serve as interim president beginning September 1, 2025, while a national search is conducted for the next permanent leader.In a statement shared Friday, the Board confirmed Vinson’s planned departure date and outlined a leadership transition aimed at maintaining stability as the fall semester begins. University officials said Vinson has worked with trustees to ensure a smooth handoff. Bringing back Frederick as interim leverages more than a decade of prior presidential experience at Howard and deep familiarity with the campus, alumni community, and key initiatives already underway.Vinson’s tenure overlapped with one of the most consequential milestones in Howard’s modern history: the University’s elevation to Carnegie Research One (R1) status in February 2025. The designation placed Howard among the nation’s elite research institutions and affirmed years of investment in research infrastructure, doctoral education, and external funding. Beyond that recognition, Howard has highlighted recent gains in social mobility metrics and global rankings—momentum University leaders say they intend to sustain through the transition into the 2025–26 academic year.
