The new year brings a new president at Delaware State University.
Tony Allen is the 12th president in Delaware State University’s 129-year history.
Allen takes over for Wilma Mishoe, who announced her plan to retire at the end of 2019 back in September.
Allen has been DSU’s Executive Vice President and Provost since 2017.
In a video address released this week, Allen set out some of his goals for DSU.
“Our vision moving forward is quite simple to be the most diverse, contemporary HBCU in the nation,” said Allen.
And Allen explains how the university can reach that goal of diversity.
“Regardless of what you look like, where you come from, from Georgetown to Georgia we are looking for those diamonds in the rough who given the opportunity will exceed past their wildest dreams.” Allen said.
Allen adds preparing students for success also an important goal.
“When I think about how we prepare our students today the first thing that comes to my mind is that students learn differently it's really about making sure that we are providing instruction the way the students of today are learning.”
Before his time at DSU, Allen worked at Bank of America, MBNA, and was the founding president of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League from 2000 to 2004.
As Provost, Allen developed a plan to increase DSU’s annual research portfolio from $20 to $35 million in the next 5-to-7 years.
In the current 2019-2020 academic year, DSU reached a new record for enrollment, topping the 5,000-student mark for the first time.
