Morehouse College president David Thomas announced Friday afternoon that the 2024-25 academic year would be his last, as reported by Ernie Suggs of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Thomas told Suggs that the decision was his and was not influenced by criticism from Morehouse stakeholders following United States President Joe Biden’s Spring 2024 commencement, which featured protests surrounding the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Thomas released a statement Friday evening, saying that “In my inaugural address, I promised to do the very best I could for Morehouse, and I have since risen each day dedicated to delivering on that promise.”
“Serving as Morehouse president has been the honor of a lifetime. The best moment for a leadership transition is when an institution is strong, and the building blocks are in place to achieve its vision. I believe that time is now, and new leadership can bring fresh eyes, energy and perspective to address challenges and discover new opportunities.
Thomas plans to take time off with family, then will help Morehouse College complete its ambitious 500-million-dollar capital campaign, more than half of which has already been achieved, according to the University. Improvements include several campus halls, B.T. Harvey Stadium field turf and Edwin Moses track renovations, as well as the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel.
Thomas has served as Morehouse president since 2018.
