(BLACK PR WIRE) (November 2, 2010) MIAMI GARDENS, FL – After extending its search for president by several months, the Florida Memorial University Board of Trustees is prepared to announce three new finalists for president. “We carefully deliberated over an extended period of time to ensure that we select the right candidates from which to choose during this critical time in the institution’s history,” stated Charles W. George, chairman of the Board of Trustees. “The quality of the candidates is remarkable, and we look forward to offering one individual the opportunity to lead the institution in fundraising, advancement, and educational initiatives by the end of this year,” he continued.

The three finalists for president are as follows:
Curtis B. Charles, Ph.D. has served as the associate vice chancellor for academic affairs at Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, North Carolina since 2006. As the associate vice chancellor, he is responsible for institutional effectiveness with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the University-wide assessment initiative to benchmark students’ learning outcomes in all academic programs. He also manages specialized degree accreditations, Title III Grants, economic transformation and outreach, and international education programs. Dr. Charles also served as the department head for the graduate and undergraduate program in architecture and environmental design at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, where he received a doctor of philosophy degree in higher education administrative leadership. He received a bachelor of architecture degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and a master of science degree in architectural studies in building technology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Roslyn Clark Artis, J.D., Ed.D. is the executive vice president for academic affairs at Mountain State University in Beckley, West Virginia. In her current position, she supervises all academic programs, academic deans, grant writing and alumni development. After enjoying a career as a practicing attorney, Dr. Artis joined Mountain State University in 2003 as the senior academic officer for distance education. She was later promoted to internal positions such as provost for distance education and vice president for university advancement. As vice president, she was in charge of corporate development and government, public and alumni relations. In addition to her responsibilities as executive vice president, she is also the president of the Mountain State University Foundation, managing all University fundraising efforts and annual budgets totaling $30 million. She received a bachelor of arts degree in political science from West Virginia State University, a doctor of jurisprudence degree from West Virginia University College of Law, and a doctor of education degree in higher education leadership and policy from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Henry Lewis III, Pharm.D. has served as dean and professor in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee, Florida for the past fifteen years. As a former interim president of FAMU, he also served as dean of the Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences for four years. Dr. Lewis is the past president of the Minority Health Professions Foundation (MHPF) and the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools (AMHPS). Under his leadership, the two organizations secured over $100 million in support of programs improving the quality of education and availability of health care to underserved communities. He is also the former chairman of the board of the Florida Education Fund, the nation’s largest producer of African-American Ph.D.’s. After graduating from FAMU with a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the program where he now serves as dean, he earned a doctor of pharmacy degree from Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia and completed his post-doctoral studies at Harvard University’s Institute for Educational Management.

About Florida Memorial University:
Located in the City of Miami Gardens, Florida Memorial University is a private, historically Black institution offering 41 undergraduate degree programs and 4 graduate degree programs to a culturally diverse student body. Since its inception in 1879, the University has upheld a commitment to providing a solid foundation for thousands of young people and opening doors to educational opportunities that may have otherwise been closed to them. As South Florida’s only Historically Black College or University (HBCU), it is widely recognized for being the birthplace of the Negro National Anthem, “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” and the home of Barrington Irving, Jr., the first and youngest pilot of African descent to fly solo around the world. Florida Memorial University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). For more information, please contact the Office of Public Affairs at (305) 626-3624 or visit www.fmuniv.edu.