Stillman College President Cynthia Warrick To Retire In 2023

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Stillman College President Cynthia Warrick on Thursday announced her retirement from the presidency at the end of her current contract in June 2023.

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Warrick is the first woman to serve in this college's highest position and called her time at Stillman College "incredibly rewarding."

“Stillman is a special place and Tuscaloosa is a great college town," she said on Thursday. "I will cherish the outpouring of support from the local community, the state, and the alumni that has contributed to the success that we have achieved during my tenure. Stillman is now at a place where a new president can build on the solid foundation of teaching, research, and community service that we have established in the past five years.”

Warrick has served as the college's seventh president since April 2017 after serving the previous four months in an interim capacity.

During her time on campus, Stillman College has added multiple programs to re-shape its liberal arts profile, while also reflecting trends in the Alabama workforce.

“I marvel at what we’ve been able to accomplish in a short period of time with 70% of our students from Alabama,” Warrick said. “When I learned that Stillman graduates earned 36 doctorates between 2010 and 2020, making us number two for HBCU undergraduate institutions producing PhDs in the State of Alabama, it proves the value of a small HBCU contributing to the knowledge-based economy that is required today.”

From her first days, Warrick worked to addresses the college's finances and academic standing, in addition to improving its donor relationships. Indeed, student enrollment over Warrick tenure increased 27% from Fall 2016 to Fall 2019.

What's more, the college also had its largest incoming freshman class — consisting of 231 students — since 2014.

In addressing the college’s debt, Warrick has received praise for rallying presidents at more than 40 institutions with HBCU Capital Finance loans to work toward Stillman College eliminating $40 million to free the college of its debt.

Grant funding and sponsored programs during Warrick's tenure have also swelled to more than $12.8 million thanks to the recruitment of a research faculty and the development of memorandums of understanding with major research universities and community colleges.

This includes the expansion of graduate school pathways with the existing 50-year partnership with the University of Alabama.

“Dr. Warrick has been a significant part of the existence of Stillman College – her contributions are immeasurable,” said Donald Comer, who chairs of the Stillman College Board of Trustees. “The college has gone through some very rocky times, and she has been the anchor that has kept us on track. She has raised the brand of the institution and enhanced the college’s reputation.”

The Stillman College Board of Trustees is in the process of conducting a national search for Warrick’s successor, with plans to name replacement by the time she retires in 2023.

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