President Biden announced Wednesday that he plans to appoint Tony Allen, president of Delaware State University, to serve as chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Allen will be a key part of the Biden administration’s mission to break down systemic barriers for HBCU participation in federal government programs, as outlined in a Sept. 3 executive order.
Prior to becoming president of the university in 2020, Allen served as provost and executive vice president at DSU. He has worked in both the private and nonprofit sectors and began his career as a speechwriter for then-Senator Biden.
Harry L. Williams, president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, said in a statement that he was pleased to learn Allen would be serving as chair.
"As demonstrated by his successful stewardship of the Presidential Inauguration Committee as its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Allen is an exceptional leader who President Biden has wisely entrusted to lead some of his most-critical projects and responsibilities over the course of several decades," Williams said. "His appointment to the position of PBA Chair sends a clear message to the HBCU community that our institutions, and their growth and sustainability is a top priority of this administration."
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