New Orleans, Louisiana- Dillard University’s Board of Trustees has officially named Dr. Monique Guillory as the institution’s ninth president. A native of New Orleans, Dr. Guillory had been serving as interim president for the past seven months and now takes on the permanent role at the 155-year-old historically Black university.
Dr. Guillory stepped into the interim position in July following the departure of Dr. Rochelle Ford after two years as president. At the time, Dr. Guillory had just begun her tenure as Dillard’s provost and chief academic officer, bringing over 30 years of experience in higher education administration.
Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the university. Like many smaller liberal arts colleges, Dillard has faced challenges in student recruitment. Over the summer, Dr. Guillory led efforts to address these difficulties, including administrative restructuring and layoffs to help reduce the university’s budget deficit.
“My priority will be revitalizing Dillard by attracting more students and engaging donors to support a vision for a truly unique liberal arts education,” Dr. Guillory shared in a recent interview. “This is an education that reflects the distinctiveness of New Orleans itself.”
A graduate of St. Mary’s Academy and Tulane University, Dr. Guillory earned her doctorate from New York University. Her extensive career includes leadership roles at institutions such as Jackson State University, University of the Virgin Islands, Xavier University, Southern University, and the Morehouse School of Medicine. Most recently, she served as chief of staff at the University of the District of Columbia.