Tougaloo College has announced the appointment of Corey Wiggins as its next president, effective July 1. A native of Hazlehurst, Mississippi, Wiggins currently serves as the federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority and will become the 15th president in the institution’s 157-year history.
He succeeds Donzell Lee, following a yearlong national search conducted by Tougaloo’s Board of Trustees. In announcing the appointment, Board Chair Blondean Y. Davis described Wiggins as a visionary leader whose commitment to academic excellence, student success, and institutional integrity aligns with the historic mission of the College. The Board expressed confidence in his ability to guide Tougaloo into its next phase of growth and impact.
In his current federal role, Wiggins oversees strategic investments and economic development initiatives across 255 counties and parishes in eight states spanning the Mississippi Delta and Alabama Black Belt. His work has focused on expanding access to opportunity, strengthening regional partnerships, and advancing sustainable community development.
A graduate of Alcorn State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology, Wiggins also brings experience in higher education as a faculty member. He has taught courses in health policy, strategic management, and the social determinants of health at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson State University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.