Dr. Rochelle Ford, APR, sworn in as eighth president of Dillard University

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Dr. Rochelle Ford, APR, a Howard University graduate and native of Gahanna, Ohio, was sworn in as the eighth president of Dillard University during an investiture ceremony held in Dillard University’s Lawless Memorial Chapel on Friday.

During the ceremony, Ford received an outpouring of appreciation and support from university dignitaries. She is the second African American female to serve as Dillard’s president.

Ford previously served as the dean of Elon University’s school of communications. There she led more than 1,500 students with six undergraduate programs and one graduate program.

She also participated in Clark Atlanta University’s HBCU Executive Leadership Institute in 2021.

She succeeds Dr. Walter Kimbrough, who served as president from 2012 to 2022.

Ford received her master’s degree in journalism specializing in public relations from the University of Maryland, College Park. She went on to receive her Ph.D. in journalism from Southern Illinois University.

Dillard University Professor Robert Collins served as the inaugural chief marshal. He said he looks forward to seeing what Dr. Ford can bring to Dillard University.

“She’s really going to help us to build her brand at Dillard University,” Collins said. “As a place that does great things with film and with urban studies and with mass communications, journalism, and public policy. I think she’s going to really continue to communicate to the brand worldwide.”

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.

Copyright 2023 WVUE. All rights reserved.