Atlanta: Spelman College taps Helene Gayle as next president

By JEFF AMY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta’s Spelman College has chosen as its next president an epidemiologist who fought AIDS and HIV before leading an international anti-poverty group. Trustees of the historically Black woman’s college voted unanimously Monday to hire Dr. Helene Gayle. She is to take over beginning July 1. Current president Mary Schmidt Campbell announced her planned retirement last year. The 66-year-old Gayle is currently president of the Chicago Community Trust, a community foundation. Gayle says she will focus on making Spelman more affordable while trying to build on Spelman’s strength in sending students into careers in medicine, science, technology, engineering and math.