The former provost of George Washington University has made history by becoming the first Black president of Georgia State University.
According to The Savannah Morning News, Dr. M. Brian Blake came to Georgia State University as the former provost and the executive vice president of academic affairs — roles he’s held since 2019.
Prior to his work with GSU, Dr. Blake worked at Drexel University as an administrator, a role he also held at the University of Miami and Notre Dame. He began his academic career as a computer science professor at Georgetown after working as a software developer.
Dr. Blake is the first Black president of Georgia State University in the school’s more than 110-year history, and he is taking over the role from outgoing president Mark Becker.
“I’m deeply honored to have been selected as Georgia State president,” Blake said to the Savannah Morning News. “I’m keenly aware of what President (Mark) Becker and the faculty, staff, and students have accomplished, and I am anxious to build on the university’s great momentum. Working together, I know we can take our university to new heights in the coming years.”
The university’s first Black president got his Ph.D. from George Mason University, where he majored in information and software engineering. He’s also previously worked at companies including General Electric, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and the MITRE Corporation.
In the official announcement on the GSU website, it was revealed that Dr. Blake will begin his tenure at the university in August 2021. He is also only the 8th president, overall, in the university’s history. Dr. Blake is also a native of Georgia, where he grew up in Savannah — which is now also where he lives with his wife and their two sons.
Congratulations are definitely in order for Dr. Blake, who is the epitome of living Black history!
