LITTLE ROCK (Friday, March 21, 2025) — The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas today unanimously approved UA
System President Jay B. Silveria’s recommendation to name Anthony Graham, Ph.D., as the next chancellor at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB).
The UA Board called a special meeting held in person and via Zoom at the UA System – Cammack Campus in Little Rock to consider the recommendation. Graham, former interim chancellor and provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Winston-Salem State University (N.C.), is expected to begin his new role as UAPB chancellor on July 1.
“There are different types of leaders that are most effective for different times and places, and Dr. Graham is the right fit for UAPB at this moment in time,” Silveria said. “The pool of finalists was very competitive and equally strong, due in large part to the hard work and dedication of the advisory search committee. UAPB is one of the UA System’s most storied and unique institutions. Dr. Graham has demonstrated his understanding of its important role and brings the experience necessary to lead this proud institution into a new era of prominence.”
Currently a tenured professor of education and former provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Winston-Salem State University, Graham also served as interim chancellor at the institution from 2023-24. He was previously a professor and dean of the College of Education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
“I am deeply grateful to the UA Board of Trustees and to President Silveria for entrusting me with the incredible opportunity to lead the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, one of the nation’s esteemed 1890 land-grant institutions,” Graham said. “I am eager to collaborate with exceptional faculty, dedicated staff, devoted alumni, and valued partners to foster a culture of excellence that drives student success, growth, and development. As chancellor, one of my priorities is to ensure that UAPB thrives as a catalyst for social and economic mobility. Our mission is to provide students with a strong return on investment by expanding experiential learning opportunities that prepare them for meaningful careers and lifelong success. Leading UAPB is more than a role—it is a calling—as the university has a proud legacy of producing transformative servant leaders. I look forward to elevating the UAPB brand, which is synonymous with excellence.”
Graham attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in mathematics in 1997. He obtained a master’s degree in Secondary English Education in 1999 and a doctorate in curriculum and teaching with a cognate in multicultural education in 2003 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Prior to his work in higher education, Dr. Graham was a high school English teacher. He has served as the managing editor of the historic peer-review academic journal The Negro Educational Review, and has collaborated with educators and scholars to create initiatives that increase the number of classroom teachers, especially ethnic and racial minority teachers, who enter the teaching profession in under-resourced and hard-to-staff rural and urban schools.
Nearly 60 applicants from across the country were vying for the position, and finalists were named in February, followed by campus visits and meetings with administrators, students and stakeholders later that month. The advisory search committee was chaired by Perry Stuckey, a UAPB alum, Pine Bluff native and retired senior vice president at Eastman Chemical Co.
“I’m very proud of how the committee came together and never lost sight of the ultimate goal of doing what’s best for the future of UAPB,” Stuckey said. “President Silveria and the Board of Trustees were presented with high-quality candidates and I’m proud that the institution’s reputation is such to draw the attention of so many outstanding candidates. I look forward to seeing Dr. Graham again and seeing his vision for UAPB unfold in the years to come.”
For more detailed information about Graham, including a complete bio and resume, visit the UAPB Chancellor search webpage at https://uapb.edu/chancellor-search/.
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