Morris Brown College, a historically Black college in Atlanta, has appointed four new members to its Board of Trustees. The new appointees come from diverse backgrounds in business, education and government.
The new trustees are: Clarence Ogletree, a Morris Brown College alumnus and retired General Motors Corporation executive and business consultant; Dr. John Foster, a Tuskegee University alumnus, former HBCU educator and AME pastor; Dr. Roland Thorpe, a Florida A&M University alumnus, collegiate educator and founder of the Black Men’s Health Project; and Marjorie Young, a Morris Brown alumna, retired Georgia Merit System Commissioner and human resources consultant.
“The new board leaders with education experience will help us continue to shape the direction and development of our curriculum,” says Board Chairman Reginald T. Jackson. “The business and government expertise we’ve added should complement the additional structure needed to get us to the next level. As we work to turnaround the institution, we seek to cultivate an environment at Morris Brown College that inspires innovation and lifelong learning.”
Ogletree, who has previously served as the Chief Information Officer for General Motors Corporation and held positions with the Whirlpool Corporation and Tenneco Oil, says, “I am poised to do all I can to help and intend to focus on the critical need of fundraising. I understand the discipline and commitment required to meet a challenging task because as a student, that’s what Morris Brown College taught me.”
Morris Brown College, which is currently unaccredited, is “engaged in an aggressive fundraising campaign and is implementing a strategic plan to benefit sustainability and assist accreditation efforts,” according to a press release.
“We have everything we need to get there now except the funding,” said Ogletree. “I’ve worked for corporations that are in a position to help us financially as soon as we reach that status.”
