Tougaloo College has named three finalists in its search for a new president. Donzell Lee, the current president, will complete his term in June. 

The finalists are: 

• Elfred Anthony Pinkard, former president of Wilberforce University, a private historically Black university in Ohio
• Archie Tucker II, president of Push Pull Solutions, a consulting firm based in Texas specializing in higher education marketing and philanthropy
• Corey Wiggins, federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority 

Each finalist is slated to participate in forums with students, faculty and alumni.  After the sessions, constituents will submit a written evaluation of each finalist. 

Tougaloo, a 157-year-old, private historically Black college located in north Jackson, has been on the hunt for its 15th college president for nearly a year. In June, the college’s presidential search committee held community listening sessions for faculty, alumni, board of trustees and students after hiring WittKieffer, a Chicago-based consulting firm to help lead the search. 

In a November letter addressed to constituents, Blondean Davis, chair of the presidential search committee, said the search committee received 114 applications for the role at Tougaloo. WittKieffer consultants and committee members reviewed and screened each submission before identifying 12 candidates to move to first round interviews. In December, committee members selected final candidates for the role and to schedule campus visits. 

“I’m extremely pleased with the process and think we have three highly qualified candidates,” Davis told Mississippi Today. 

In February, WitKieffer plans to gather constituents’ evaluation responses and present them in a formal report to the search committee. The committee will meet to discuss the firm’s report and make recommendations for the candidates to have a final interview with Tougaloo College’s board of trustees in March. The board will then decide whether to offer a contract.