MIAMI GARDENS – A new commander-in-chief has assumed the ultimate leadership position at Florida Memorial University.
Dr. Karl S. Wright, an economist and native of Jamaica, was appointed President of the institution by its Board of Trustees effective July 1, 2006. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Wright served as Florida Memorial’s Executive Vice President and Provost.
In this position, he was instrumental in increasing the size and upgrading the credentials of the faculty, leading the institution through successful accreditation processes, and developing significant external relationships with the community.
“A New Era:” Dr. Karl S. Wright, pictured
above, becomes Florida Memorial University’s
11th President since the school’s founding
in 1879.
Dr. Wright is known for being a staunch advocate of academic excellence. The institution’s recent elevation to graduate-degree status is largely attributed to Dr. Wright’s tenacity in broadening the university’s academic offerings.
Due to his persevering style of leadership, the university was approved by the Board of Trustees and the regional accrediting body to offer an MBA program beginning in January 2007.
When asked about his vision for the institution, he shared the following, “Florida Memorial University is a student-centered learning community that provides access to a high-quality education, promotes cultural diversity, and encourages global awareness,” he said. “I will continue to uphold the tradition of academic excellence among our students, along with developing new partnerships on the local, national and international levels.” Dr. Wright has also succeeded in initiating the center for academic advisement, the honors program, and the academic resource center. He also played a significant role in launching Florida Memorial University’s off-campus site in Broward County.
Enhancing the university’s global scope serves as a pervasive priority of Dr. Wright’s. Under his tenure as Executive Vice President and Provost, faculty and students at the university significantly increased their global outreach initiatives. Articulation agreements were signed with several colleges in the Caribbean, which led to faculty participation in programmatic activities in countries such as Africa, Latin America, and Asia. As President, Dr. Wright will continue promoting these opportunities among the campus community, and encouraging students to pursue enriching study abroad and cultural immersion experiences.
Dr. Wright’s active involvement with scholastic pursuits and civic affairs has kept him busy over the years and prepared him for serving as university President.
A few months before accepting his new position, Dr. Wright was selected to be a Kellogg Foundation/NAFEO leadership fellow. In addition, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities selected him to participate in the Millennium Presidential Leadership Fellows Initiative. Before joining Florida Memorial University, Dr. Wright served for seven years as Dean of the School of Business at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
In that role, he was committed to enhancing the profile of the business school in the corporate community and laying the foundation for national accreditation. During his tenure, the School of Business developed unprecedented partnerships with major in-state as well as national corporations while forming important linkages with prominent business schools. Prior to spending time at South Carolina State University, Dr. Wright was employed as an Assistant Professor of Commodity Marketing and Economics at North Carolina A & T State University.
Dr. Wright holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Ph.D. from Mississippi State University. His specialized academic interests include economic modeling and statistical forecasting. His organizational memberships include the 100 Black Men of Fort Lauderdale, Inc., the Miami-Dade County Investment Advisory Committee, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Committee of Weston, FL.
