Jonathan Holloway has been named the 21st President of Rutgers University – the institution’s first Black president in the school’s 253-year history. Dr. Holloway, an eminent historian, author and academic administrator, will begin his presidency on July 1, 2020, following successful tenures at Northwestern and Yale.
The move to replace the university’s current president, Robert Barchi, came after Dr. Barchi announced his retirement to start in July.
Most recently serving as Northwestern University’s provost, Dr. Holloway was also the first Black dean for Yale College.
Before completing his full five-year term in 2017, he had an untimely resignation in 2016, a year after Yale experienced heightened racial tensions, when a school committee had warned students against wearing offensive Halloween costumes (blackface, turbans, Native American headgear).
Black Yale students were displeased with Holloway’s many days of silence over the racial incidents, including a protest. He later went on to apologize to students.
The newly appointed president received his bachelor’s degree in American studies from Stanford and a postgraduate degree in history from Yale.
He gave an emotional and touching speech, reflecting on a call he had with his late mother years ago while attending graduate school.
Holding back tears while still making the audience laugh, Dr. Holloway recalled telling his mother about what he eagerly thought was a potential job offer from Rutgers.
While he didn’t get offered a position with the prestigious university as a graduate student, that moment would pave the way for his future. “Wouldn’t you know it, this time my hope paid off,” he said, “Mom, I got the job.”
The newly voted president said he was most interested in the job because of the excellence and motivation the university has to conduct “life-changing research.”
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy tweeted his excitement – ” Dr. Holloway clearly showed he had the vision & experience to put the needs of students first & lead Rutgers to the next level.”