Meet Interim Executive Director Dr. Clarissa Myrick-Harris
Dr. Clarissa Myrick-Harris is Interim Executive Director of the UNCF Institute for Capacity Building (ICB). Dr. Myrick-Harrisjoined UNCF as the director of the Institute for Capacity Building’s Curriculum and Faculty Enhancement Program (CFEP) in October 2007.
In her continuing role as director of the UNCF CFEP, Dr. Myrick-Harris oversees the UNCF-Ford Faculty Enhancement Initiative, which provides funding and technical assistance to UNCF member institutions to establish or enhance faculty development centers. In addition, she established and manages the UNCF Digital Media and Learning Initiative, which is supported by the MacArthur Foundation and focuses on spurring research and innovation in technology among faculty and students at HBCUs and other special mission institutions. She also manages the UNCF Math and Science Teacher Education Initiative pilot program at Virginia Union University.
An educator for almost thirty years, Dr. Myrick-Harris has held a variety of faculty and administrative positions at both HBCUs and majority institutions. She has served on the faculties of University of Georgia, University of Cincinnati and Morris Brown College. In addition, she has taught at Emory University, Purdue University and Clark Atlanta University. Most recently, she was a Distinguished Teaching and Research Fellow in the Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (2005-2008). The experienced administrator served as the chair of the African World Studies, History and World Languages Department at Morris Brown College (1998-2002).
Dr. Myrick-Harris was the founding director of the Morris Brown College/University of Minnesota Mellon Pipeline Program in International Studies in the early 2000s, and then became national director of the Global Issues Honors Consortium (2005-2008), a partnership between the University of Minnesota, Dillard University and Tougaloo College. Dr. Myrick-Harris’ administrative experience also includes her work in the mid-1990s as the co-founder of the African American Academy in Cincinnati, Ohio, the first African-Centered independent school (Pre-K-7th grade) chartered by the Ohio Department of Education.
Dr. Myrick-Harris earned her Ph.D. degree from Emory University, her Master’s from The Ohio State University and her B.A. degree from Morris Brown College. Her research and writing focus on the history of leadership and institution building in African American communities, especially during the Civil Rights and Black Power eras. She also has co-authored several African American history digital textbooks.