After leaving the university as the much-heralded 17th president of Howard University, Wayne A. I. Frederick (B.S. ‘92, M.D. ‘94, MBA ‘11), continued his commitment to truth and service in numerous ways. Most notably, as one of the nation’s most prominent health care professionals and visionary leaders, he was selected to serve as interim CEO of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, guiding the work of its 3,000 team members and 1.3 million volunteers as they worked to protect countless lives through treatment, education, and research. Even while fulfilling that noble calling, however, he answered another call when the time came — to return to Howard and serve as interim president in fall 2025.
Since his return, he has made clear his overriding goal of ensuring that the university is in prime shape as it welcomes its 19th president after selection by the Board of Trustees. He’s gotten to work using his intricate knowledge of the university’s systems and operations to find efficiencies and evaluate priorities. He’s also working to foster collaboration and to ensure that Howard’s strongest traditions endure, even in the face of today’s higher education challenges.
“This university has been around for 155 years, and during that time has seen a number of storms and weathered them well,” said President Frederick during the fall 2025 Opening Convocation. He is proud to call himself a “son of Howard,” and the Howard family is important to him. Even in his interim capacity, he is committed to buttressing its long-term sustainability and prosperity. That goal, he said, can only be accomplished if all members of the university family work together to lift up each other and the institution as it engages in its mission to make opportunities available to those who would not otherwise have them.
“The thing about tradition is that it is to be honored, but it also is to change, and we must recognize when there has come a time and a moment for such change,” he said at the convocation. “All of us should be footnotes in the history of Howard University, if we do what we need to do. Universities exist for the amplification of other peoples’ humanity. Howard University is the exemplar among the 3,000 plus higher education institutions in this country.”
At the convocation, President Frederick stressed the role of “citizens of Howard” in creating a supportive and productive environment that brings forth excellence. Each person, he said, has a responsibility to have compassion toward those they encounter. He also emphasized that trust and respect have to be at the center of campus culture and core to its sense of community. “We have a currency to spend,” he added. “That is a currency of trust. That is a currency of respect. That is a currency built on love. And I hope that each and every one of us will honor that.” Later in the fall semester, President Frederick returned to a tradition of his own — hosting a town hall-style “State of the University” presentation and question and answer session during Homecoming, with the expressed intent of engaging alumni. During the event, he highlighted key areas the university must address immediately, including enrollment, student success, and financial aid. He also discussed university finances, including its relationship with the federal government and the need to increase alumni giving. In addition, he talked about facilities, operational efficiency, and the forward trajectory of Howard University Hospital.
President Frederick’s approach is based on data and transparency, using trends to identify challenges and make projections. He acknowledged the university’s need to attract more young men, but not at the expense of supporting the academic and leadership potential of young women. He also noted that the university is reviewing its academic program offerings to efficiently align faculty expertise with the programs students are pursuing in large numbers as well as to support emerging areas such as artificial intelligence.
With regard to the university’s opportunities and responsibilities as a Research One institution, an outgrowth of his prioritization of research during his presidency, Frederick pointed to ongoing work to optimize systems which ensure that funds are managed appropriately and in accordance with grantor expectations. That dovetails with other optimization initiatives in which the university is engaged as it works to streamline payment systems, ensure appropriate and timely distribution of funds to students, and address its diverse infrastructure needs.
Importantly, President Frederick made the case for alumni participation in annual giving. According to recent data by U.S. News and World Report, Howard’s average alumni giving rate over the past five years of 9.2% is above the national average of 7.7% and aligns with the average giving rate among HBCU alumni, but it lags behind the 27% rate of the 20 colleges where the most alumni donate. Howard’s goal is to be among the top 20, which include Princeton, with an alumni giving rate of 46.6%, Hampton University, with a rate of 20.7%, and Georgetown University, with a rate of 19.8%.
“If we get dollars from people who have nothing to do with our institution but have the means, then we have to ensure to them that those of us who have benefited from the education are just as interested in uplifting the institution,” he said. “If I’m going to write a check to an institution because they are convincing me that they are doing a great job, one of my first questions is going to be ‘what about the people you educated? What do they do?’”
The Annual Giving Network organization notes that high levels of alumni participation can influence major donors, corporations, and foundations when they’re considering their own investments adding that “they want to give to institutions that others are supporting too.”
President Frederick pointed out that, even with Howard’s reputation for excellence, donors are still interested in how many alumni care enough about the institution to support its programming. It represents a vote of confidence and satisfaction from those who know the institution best. It was another reminder that every Howard citizen has a job to do to shore up its legacy.
Article ID: 2546