Clark Atlanta University Welcomes Its New Leader

09/01/2019

ATLANTA, GA – September 2, 2019 – Clark Atlanta University (CAU) today announced that Dr. George T. French, Jr., has officially taken office as the fifth president of the institution on September 1, 2019. The CAU Board of Trustees named Dr. French the university’s new leader on June 21, 2019, concluding a nationwide executive search. Lucille H. Maugé, the chief operating officer for CAU, has been serving as interim president and announced her retirement last week.

"Following a thorough search process, we're very pleased to select Dr. French as CAU’s next president. His development expertise and proven track record at Miles College underscores his ability to continue the strong momentum Clark Atlanta has built. I am confident he will work diligently to advance CAU’s mission and reputation as a premier learning and R2 research institution,” said Gregory Morrison, chair of CAU’s Board of Trustees.

Dr. French has served as president of Miles College since 2006. During his tenure, Miles College exceeded capital campaign goals – besting previous fundraising records, achieved an unprecedented financial composite score to position the school for growth, increased student access to educational funding, and more than doubled the size of the existing campus with key land acquisitions.

“While visiting the University, Dr. French received strong support from our campus community and alumni. He also was uniformly endorsed by various constituent groups that have worked with him in his capacity as the president of Miles College and selected by unanimous decision by the CAU board,” Morrison continued.

Prior to serving as the president of Miles College, Dr. French served in the roles of acting and interim president for the institution between October and December 2005. Before serving as Interim President, Dr. French served as a member of the President’s Cabinet in the capacity of director of Institutional Planning and Development, and as such directed the offices of Alumni Affairs, Federal Contracts and Grants, Title III, Institutional Research and Effectiveness, Congressional Relations, and Public Relations.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Dr. French earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with an emphasis in Policy Analysis from the University of Louisville. He was competitively accepted into the University of Richmond Law School and completed two years of studies before being recruited by Miles College to serve as the Director of Development. He completed his final year of law school at Miles Law School in Fairfield, Ala., earning a Juris Doctorate. Dr. French received his Ph.D. in Higher Education from Jackson State University.

Dr. French’s influence in the academic community is mirrored by his work in several professional/trade and civic groups. He served two terms, respectively, on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges’ Board of Trustees, and the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity. He is a member of the Birmingham Business Alliance’s Executive Committee and Birmingham Museum of Art’s Board of Directors. In 2015, Dr. French co-founded Higher Education Leader Foundation to help prepare highly-skilled talent for positions of leadership at historically black colleges and universities.

“I am thankful and blessed to have the opportunity to lead another great institution and serve as the fifth president of Clark Atlanta University,” Dr. French said. “CAU has strong faculty, students and academics. I’m optimistic about the University’s next stage of growth and eager to build on the solid foundation CAU has established.”

Visit the CAU website to learn more about the New President.

About Clark Atlanta University

Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is a leading research institution of higher education, offering 38 exciting areas of study at bachelor’s, master’s, specialists, and doctoral levels.  Established in 1988 by the historic consolidation of Atlanta University (1865) and Clark College (1869), CAU continues a 150-year legacy rooted in the African-American tradition and focused on the future. Through global innovation, transformative educational experiences, and high-value engagement, CAU cultivates lifted lives that transform the world.

For more information, visit www.cau.edu.