By TYLER ALICEA
After serving as Cornell’s vice president for budget and planning since 2010, Elmira Mangum will take over as Florida A&M University’s first female president, the University announced earlier this month.
During her tenure at Cornell, Mangum — who will serve as A&M’s 11th president — has managed and delegated the University’s operating and capital budgets to meet the institution’s priorities, according to a University press release. In addition, she was responsible for leading Cornell through the economic recession and and the recovery that followed.
Her start date at Florida A&M is currently undetermined, the University press release said.
Provost Kent Fuchs described Mangum as a “great leader and a great friend.”
“We offer our heartfelt congratulations to Florida A&M University for the selection of Elmira Mangum as its next president,” Fuchs said in a University press release. “This is a visionary choice by FAMU’s trustees and a great accomplishment for Elmira.”
Karl White, Florida A&M trustee and chair of the presidential search committee, said that Mangum will bring both expertise and energy that will be needed to lead the university.
“She emerged from a noteworthy pool of applicants as the candidate who the Board believes is the best fit for this pivotal season in the university’s history,” White said in an A&M press release.
Prior to arriving at Cornell, Mangum worked as the senior associate provost at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
While Magnum said she will miss Cornell, she is enthusiastic to move to Florida A&M.
“I will miss my colleagues and friends at Cornell in many ways,” Mangum said in the press release. “It is difficult to leave the Big Red, but I am excited to move on to join the Rattlers at FAMU as its 11th president.”