11 Aug 2025 Respected higher ed executive tapped to lead Philander Smith University

LITTLE ROCK — The Philander Smith University Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. Maurice D. Gipson as the institution’s 15th President and Chief Executive Officer in late May during a press conference held on the Philander Smith University campus.

Gipson had served as interim president since August 2024, following the service of longtime trustee Dr. Cynthia A. Bond-Hopson, who led the institution as interim from June 2023 to July 2024. The Board had previously engaged a national search firm to identify candidates for the role. Following a thorough and deliberate process, the Trustees affirmed Gipson’s appointment, citing his proven leadership and deep connection to the University’s mission.

“We are incredibly proud to name Dr. Maurice Gipson as our 15th President and Chief Executive Officer,” said Board Chair Dr. Tionna Jenkins, a 2001 alumna of the institution. “He brings not only the experience and strategic insight needed for this moment, but also a heartfelt understanding of what makes Philander Smith University so special. We believe his leadership will help shape a bold and meaningful future for our students and our institution.”

Gipson is no stranger to the Philander Smith University community. He previously served a four-year term on the Board of Trustees, including leadership roles as Chair of the Governance Committee and Vice Chairman. 

Prior to stepping into the presidency, he served as Vice Chancellor for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity at the University of Missouri, where he was a senior executive for the 30,000-student flagship campus. There, he oversaw a division of more than 120 staff and managed a multi-million-dollar budget. He previously held leadership posts at Arkansas State University and the University of Texas at Austin and served in various roles at Wiley College and Huston-Tillotson University.

With over a decade of higher education leadership experience, Gipson is a seasoned administrator and accomplished scholar. His academic expertise spans African American history, Black nationalism, and the Black freedom struggle — subjects he taught as a faculty member and presented internationally, including at the Black Power Conference in Frankfurt, Germany. He is currently working on a book chronicling the Black Freedom Struggle in Arkansas.

A native of Ferriday, Louisiana, Gipson is a graduate of Louisiana State University and holds a Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center, with a civil rights emphasis. He also earned a master’s degree in history from Missouri State University and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Mississippi, and is a licensed attorney.

“I am deeply honored to lead this historic institution at such a critical time,” said Gipson. “Philander Smith University has long been a place where transformation takes root — for students, for families, and for communities. As someone who has served as a trustee, a faculty member, and now as president, I am committed to ensuring that our momentum continues and that our mission is amplified.”

Gipson has strong connections to Philander Smith University and the local community. His mother-in-law, Linda Lyons Medley, is a proud member of the Philander Smith Class of 1973, and his wife, Jasmine, is a native of Little Rock and a graduate of Little Rock Central High School.

An inauguration for Dr. Gipson will follow at a later date.