CUNY named Dr. Patricia Ramsey as the sixth president of Medgar Evers College on March 22. She will be the first woman to be president of the college.

Ramsey, whose appointment is effective May 1, is an educator with a record of experience as a leader at historically Black colleges and universities, known as HBCUs.

Previously, Ramsey served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at the oldest degree-granting HBCU in the United States, Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University.

Her career began as a biology professor and since then has obtained more than 30 years of experience as a scientist, scholar and student-focused leader at universities in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.

It’s from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund in Washington, D.C., where she spent the past year as a senior executive fellow, that Ramsey makes her way to CUNY.

“My family and I applaud the appointment of Dr. Patricia Ramsey as the new president of Medgar Evers College,” Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers for whom the college is named, said according to a CUNY press release. “Dr. Ramsey is committed to creating an environment in which students know they are valued for their pursuit of excellence in their educational endeavors, and where their success is understood to be inextricably linked to that of the community.”

Ramsey earned a bachelor’s degree in biology education from Norfolk State University and two master’s degrees, one in botany from Howard University and one in biology from Harvard University. She also earned a doctorate in biology from Georgetown University.

Her higher education career began at Norfolk State University where she served as a deputy fundraising officer and moved to academic administration as vice president for academic affairs at Shaw University.

At Bowie State University, Ramsey spent 12 years taking on various roles including provost and vice president for academic affairs, interim president and natural sciences department chair.

Throughout her teaching and leadership positions in various universities, Ramsey created platforms for students to become active in their academic careers.

“At Bowie State, she started weekly ‘Chat with the Provost’ sessions that became a valuable incubator of student-originated ideas that were later adopted by the university,” according to CUNY.

She has also played a major part in diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at colleges and universities.

“At Lincoln University, she oversaw a new office of equity and inclusion that advanced recruitment efforts, and under her leadership the university increased the number of women faculty across five academic departments, in disciplines where females are traditionally underrepresented,” according to CUNY.

In 2012, Ramsey was named a “National Role Model” by Minority Access Inc., which is a nonprofit organization committed to increasing diversity.

“I am honored and humbled to have been selected as the sixth president of Medgar Evers College,” Ramsey said, according to a CUNY press release. “During these times of heightened awareness of social justice issues, I have the unique opportunity to lead Medgar Evers College, an institution with social justice in its DNA. It is my firm belief that if we work together, we can move Medgar Evers College to a new level of excellence. Thanks to the search committee, Chairperson Thompson, the CUNY Board of Trustees, and Chancellor Matos Rodríguez for your
confidence in me.”