Spelman College names renowned roboticist Dr. Ayanna Howard as its 12th president

The nationally recognized robotics and AI leader will take the helm of the nation’s top-ranked HBCU on Aug. 1.

Spelman College has named Dr. Ayanna Howard, a nationally recognized roboticist, entrepreneur, and higher education leader, as its 12th president.

The college’s Board of Trustees announced Howard’s appointment on June 5. She will officially step into the role on Aug. 1, 2026.

Howard joins Spelman from The Ohio State University, where she serves as dean of the College of Engineering and holds the Monte Ahuja Endowed Dean’s Chair. Her career spans higher education, technology, entrepreneurship, and government, including previous work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Her appointment marks a new chapter for Spelman, the nation’s top-ranked HBCU, as the college continues to focus on academic excellence, student success, and the preparation of Black women to lead in a changing world.

“Dr. Howard is the visionary leader Spelman needs at this pivotal moment in our history,” Lovette Russell, chair of the Spelman College Board of Trustees, said in a statement. “Throughout this search process, we sought a leader who would honor Spelman’s legacy while boldly advancing our future, and Dr. Howard embodies that vision.”

Howard is widely recognized for her work in robotics, artificial intelligence and human-centered technology. She is the co-founder of Zyrobotics, a company that develops educational and therapeutic technologies for children with special needs, and Black in Robotics, an organization working to expand representation and opportunity in the robotics field.

In a statement, Howard said she is “deeply honored and excited” to join the prestigious HBCU.

“Students choose Spelman because they want to make a difference in the world, and as the world changes, we must equip them to thrive,” Howard said. “At a time when technology, the workforce, and society are evolving rapidly, Spelman’s mission has never been more important. I look forward to building on the College’s legacy while honoring its tradition, values, and sisterhood.”

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Howard has authored more than 300 publications and serves on the boards of Brown University, Autodesk and Motorola Solutions. She has also been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Inventors. Forbes previously named her one of America’s Top 50 Women in Tech.

Her presidency follows the interim leadership of Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, a Spelman alumna, former Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO and chair emerita of the college’s Board of Trustees. Brewer has served as interim president for the past 18 months.

“Serving as Spelman’s interim president has been one of the most profound honors of my life, and I am proud of the momentum our community has built since I arrived on campus 18 months ago,” Brewer said.

Following her interim presidency, Brewer will continue as co-chair of the Spelman Forward campaign, the college’s historic fundraising effort focused on scholarships, student success, faculty excellence and long-term institutional sustainability.

Howard takes the helm at a time of continued national recognition for Spelman. The Atlanta-based college has been ranked the No. 1 HBCU by U.S. News & World Report for 19 consecutive years and remains a leading producer of Black women who go on to earn doctoral degrees in STEM fields. Spelman also has the highest graduation rate among HBCUs and is one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright Scholars.

Founded in 1881, Spelman enrolls approximately 2,700 students and is widely recognized as a global leader in the education of women of African descent.