DSU President announces retirement; New president named

DOVER, Del. – The President of Delaware State University has announced her intention to retire at the end of 2019.

Dr. Wilma Mishoe made the announcement on her 70th birthday, which she celebrated on Thursday, September 5th, ending a 40-year career in higher education that began at Delaware State University’s Dover campus. Her retirement will become effective December 31, 2019.

Dr. Mishoe was serving as the first female Chair of the Board of Trustees when the Board announced she would serve as the interim President in January 2018, following the October 2017 departure of then President Harry Williams.

She became the first female chief executive in the University’s history when she was became the permanent President in June of 2018, following in the footsteps of her father, Dr. Luna Mishoe.

Before her tenure at Delaware State University Dr. Mishoe was a long serving academic administrator at Delaware Technical & Community College, Chairwoman of the Capital School Board, and a trustee at Wilberforce University where she later became interim president.

Dr. Mishoe’s era at DSU was marked by an emphasis on “Students First” and she accomplished such things as :

• Final achievement of the four-year INSPIRE scholarship program for Delaware students attending the University
• Securing the first dollar-for-dollar 1890 Land Grant research match from the State for agricultural research and community outreach efforts;
• Creating a unique downtown presence in the City of Dover with the acquisition of the Barros Building and the continued operation of the Schwartz Center for the Arts;
• Replacing the aircraft fleet for the University’s world-class aviation program.
• A technology initiative to ensure the campus goes completely digital by 2020.
• Increasing the State’s commitment to addressing the University’s backlog of deferred maintenance.

She will be succeeded by Provost and Executive Vice President Tony Allen who added, “None of the University’s achievements over the past two years would have been possible without the graceful, powerful leadership of this President.  She served the University at a time of dynamic transition, bringing stability, renewed confidence, and a fiery, big vision to an institution that has long deserved to take its proper place in higher education in Delaware and around the world.  She carries a legendary last name, but she is her own powerhouse and will forever be the grand dame of Delaware State University.”

In a letter to the Hornet Community Dr. Mishoe wrote, “I am far from done. When I retire from the Presidency of this great University on December 31, 2019, I know I will go to new adventures, confident that I have left our great, shared enterprise in good hands. My heart will always reside on this campus, and my hands will be here whenever needed.”

If you would like to see Dr. Mishoe’s personal video to the Delaware State University community click here.