1890 Universities Foundation Names Jewel Bronaugh as Its Next President & CEO
Today, the 1890 Universities Foundation announced that Jewel H. Bronaugh, Ph.D., former Deputy Secretary for the US Department of Agriculture will serve as the next president and CEO of the 1890 Universities Foundation effective January 1, 2024. Bronaugh will succeed Dr. Mort Neufville, who served for seven years as the 1890 Foundation’s first president and will retire at the end of December 2023.
Dr. Bronaugh arrives at the Foundation with an extensive background in agriculture and higher education. She brings exceptional experience and an appreciation for the 1890 land-grant mission. Prior to her appointment to Deputy Secretary for USDA in 2021, Dr. Bronaugh served as the 16th commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from 2018-2021. She has had a distinguished 20-year career in higher education while serving in several leadership positions at Virginia State University (VSU) including Dean of the College of Agriculture and executive director of the VSU Center for Agricultural Research, Engagement and Outreach (CAREO). Dr. Bronaugh recently returned to VSU to assume the role of senior advisor to the Dean for Land-Grant Initiatives at the College of Agriculture.
“We are elated and proud to announce the selection of Dr. Jewel Bronaugh as the next President and CEO for the 1890 Universities Foundation,” said Dr. Makola Abdullah, President of Virginia State University, who led the CEO search committee and previously served as Chair of the 1890 Universities Foundation’s Board of Directors. “I have known and worked closely with Jewel during her tenure at Virginia State University and I’ve seen firsthand her dedication to advancing the land-grant mission and the vital role our 1890 Universities play in supporting our communities. We know the 1890 Foundation will be in good hands under her skillful leadership.”
“Dr. Bronaugh brings the perfect blend of exceptional credentials, strategic thinking, and a spirit of collaboration. All are combined with proven executive leadership to advance the important role of the 1890 Foundation in supporting the community of 19Strong 1890 Universities while focusing on securing long-term organizational sustainability,” said Dr. Paul Jones, President of Fort Valley State University and Chair of the 1890 Universities Foundation’s Board of Directors.
“Being chosen as the President and CEO of the 1890 Universities Foundation is a tremendous honor and privilege,” said Dr. Bronaugh. “With Dr. Mort Neufville's extraordinary leadership as our starting point, the moment has arrived to solidify the 1890 Universities' position as the preferred institution for nurturing the future leaders of our nation's workforce. I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to lead this remarkable organization, and I am fully committed to collaborating with the accomplished 1890 presidents, provosts, deans, extension, and research administrators to establish a vibrant and enduring legacy for the 19Strong.”
Dr. Bronaugh’s arrival as the new president and CEO comes at a pivotal time for the 1890 Foundation. Established in 2016, the young and emerging organization is striving to grow, build capacity, establish sustainability, and cultivate strategic partnerships that benefit the foundation and the (19) historically Black land-grant universities it represents. In this new role, Dr. Bronaugh will engage with the USDA/1890 Task Force and advocate for 1890 priorities in the 2023 Farm Bill before Congress.
A Virginia resident, Jewel Bronaugh received her bachelor's degree from James Madison University. She completed her Ph.D. at Virginia Tech University.
Dr. Bronaugh will succeed Dr. Mortimer Neufville who was selected by the key stakeholders within the 1890 community to operationalize the initial concept for starting the 1890 Foundation. Neufville was named the Foundation’s first President and CEO in 2016 after a long and distinguished career in agriculture and higher education. Dr. Neufville will receive this year’s Association of Public Land-grant Universities (APLU) Food Systems Leadership Institute’s award at APLU’s national meeting in November.
“We are grateful for the invaluable contribution Mort Neuville has made in establishing the 1890 Foundation as a significant and emerging force within the 1890 land-grant ecosystem,” Chairman Jones commented. “The 1890 Foundation is the embodiment of his legendary and distinguished career in agriculture and higher education, and we are fortunate to have had the benefit of his depth of experience, long-standing relationships, and dedication during the organization’s critical start-up phase. This will continue to add value to our 19Strong 1890 Universities now and into the future.”
ABOUT THE 1890 UNIVERSITIES FOUNDATION …
The 1890 Universities Foundation (The Foundation), established in 2016, supports the core missions of research, extension, and education across the nineteen 1890 Land-Grant Universities. It is organized and operates exclusively as a 501c3 charitable and educational organization. The Foundation mobilizes and manages resources to facilitate broad-based programs, initiatives, and approaches across the 1890 Universities system.
The 1890 Land-grant Universities are: Alabama A&M University, Alcorn State University, Central State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Langston University, Lincoln University in Missouri, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, South Carolina State University, Southern University and A&M College, Tennessee State University, Tuskegee University, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Virginia State University and West Virginia State University. For more information and engagement, visit 1890foundation.org.