The first-generation college student and Arkansas Delta native becomes the first African American chancellor of Arkansas State University.
Arkansas State University has named Dr. Calvin White Jr. its next chancellor, marking a historic milestone for the university and another chapter in White’s career as an educator, historian and higher education leader.
The Arkansas State University System Board of Trustees approved the recommendation of System President Todd Shields during a special meeting on Sept. 28. White, who had served as interim chancellor since July, becomes the first African American to serve as chancellor of Arkansas State University.
The appointment is not White’s first history-making role at A-State. Before becoming interim chancellor, he served as executive vice chancellor and provost, becoming the university’s first African American provost.
“I am grateful to the ASU System Board of Trustees for their confidence in me and to Dr. Todd Shields for his trust and support,” White said. “It is an extraordinary privilege to serve as chancellor of Arkansas State University, and I accept this responsibility with tremendous respect for the people who make this university special.”
White joined A-State in 2023 and quickly became a key figure in the university’s academic and institutional growth. As provost and executive vice chancellor, he served as the university’s chief academic officer and led the Office of Academic Affairs and Research, A-State’s largest division.
His oversight included 12 academic colleges, the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, A-State Heritage Sites, two museums, and the university’s Reserve Officer Training Program regiment.
During his tenure, White played a key role in strengthening academic distinction, advancing research, and developing the workforce. Under his leadership, A-State launched Arkansas’ first College of Veterinary Medicine in fall 2026. The university also reached a fall enrollment of 18,775 students, with annual enrollment reaching 23,430.
System President Todd Shields credited White with helping shape that growth.
“Calvin has helped shape A-State’s recent growth in enrollment, academics, research and workforce development, and he has a clear vision for where the university can go next,” Shields said.
For White, the appointment carries particular significance as a first-generation college student and native Arkansan with deep ties to the Delta.
A historian by training, White’s research centers on the African American experience in the Arkansas and Mississippi Delta. His scholarship has resulted in multiple publications, while his career has also earned recognition for teaching, mentorship, and service.
White has served as a fellow in the SEC Academic Leadership Program and received honors including the Fulbright College Master Teacher Award and the Dr. John and Mrs. Lois Imhoff Award for Outstanding Teaching and Student Mentorship. He was inducted into the University of Arkansas Teaching Academy and served as a Gilder-Lehrman Fellow at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem, New York.
His academic work has also extended internationally. White has lectured at the University of Sussex in Brighton, England, and presented research at the Obama Institute at the University of Mainz in Germany.
He earned his Ph.D. in history from the University of Mississippi and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Central Arkansas.
Support for White’s appointment has come from throughout A-State and the broader Arkansas community.
Arkansas Senator Jamie Scott reflected on her personal connection to White, who once taught her during a summer course at Pulaski Technical College.
“Dr. White had a remarkable ability to challenge his students, inspire us to think more deeply, and see potential in us that we did not always recognize in ourselves,” Scott said. “To now see someone who helped shape my own educational journey entrusted with leading Arkansas State University is truly a full-circle moment.”
Bryan Barnhouse, president and CEO of the Arkansas Research Alliance, pointed to White’s role in expanding A-State’s research capabilities and partnerships. At the same time, Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver described White as a leader whose vision and commitment are making an impact both on campus and throughout the region.
White now steps into the chancellor’s office at a time of significant growth for Arkansas State University, bringing a record rooted in education, research, mentorship and opportunity.
“A-State has incredible momentum,” White said, “and I look forward to working alongside our faculty, staff, students, alumni and supporters to build on that momentum, expand opportunity and continue moving this university forward.”
For a first-generation college student who became A-State’s first Black provost and now its first Black chancellor, White’s journey represents a historic moment for the university—and a distinctly Arkansas story of education, leadership and progress.