Spelman College named robotics leader Ayanna Howard as its next president, succeeding in a transition set for Aug. 1. Howard currently serves as dean of Ohio State’s College of Engineering and has led work spanning NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and entrepreneurship focused on education technology and accessibility. Wilkes University also selected John F. Dolan’s counterpart timeline: James Cousins will become Wilkes’ president on Aug. 1 after leading Kentucky Wesleyan College since 2024. Elmira College chose John F. Dolan to begin July 30, citing enrollment and endowment growth. Meanwhile, Jessup University tapped Meghan Barnard to become its first female president starting July 1, following her roles as provost and senior vice president at Southeastern University. For the sector, the common thread is strategic capability: institutions are prioritizing leaders with experience in enrollment growth, program expansion, and technology-driven academic innovation as they navigate affordability pressures and labor-market shifts.