The Talladega College Board of Trustees announced today that they voted unanimously to name Dr. Willie L. Todd Jr. the 22nd president of Talladega College. Todd has served as the president and chief executive officer of Denmark Technical College (DTC) in Denmark, South Carolina since 2020.
“We are excited to have Dr. Willie L. Todd Jr., join our community,” shared Rica Lewis-Payton ‘81, chair of the Board of Trustees. “His experience and dedication will be invaluable as we navigate the next chapter of Talladega College’s rich history and continue on our path forward to build back better and stronger. I look forward to working with President Todd, and I believe that he is equipped with the skills and experiences to help the College achieve its goals. In addition, I would like to thank the entire search committee, and especially chair and trustee Dr. Monique Gardner Witherspoon, for running an organized and efficient search process.”
“I am profoundly honored to have been chosen to lead Talladega College, an institution with a powerful legacy and boundless potential,” said Todd. “This institution was founded in defiance of limitation and in pursuit of possibility. That legacy calls us to lead with boldness and integrity. As a proud product of an HBCU and a lifelong servant of these sacred institutions, I believe the time has come to reimagine liberal arts education as a dynamic force for the future. I look forward to forging a culture of true collaboration, grounded in shared vision and mutual respect, with the Board of Trustees, administration, students, faculty, staff, alumni and the greater Talladega College community."
A Track Record of Transformational Leadership
With 32 years of higher education leadership under his belt, Todd has led an impressive turnaround at DTC. Infused with his passion for advancing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Todd reimagined DTC’s future through a bold vision, compassion, creative problem-solving, and a student-centered approach that expanded student leadership while building a culture of care.
Under Todd’s leadership, DTC enjoyed the following accomplishments:
More About Dr. Willie L. Todd Jr.
Among Todd’s honors are: 2022 CEO/President of the Year by the South Carolina Association of Technical College Commissioners, 2021 Shining Star by the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs, and the Diamond Award for excellence in education, leadership, philanthropy, humanitarianism and community engagement from the Not Alone Foundation and the Academy of the Diamond. Todd also served as president of the Presidents’ Council for the South Carolina Technical College System in 2023-2024, making him the first DTC leader to take on that role.
Prior to taking on the role of president, Todd served DTC as vice president for academic affairs and student affairs. Before his arrival at DTC, Todd served as the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Wiley College (now Wiley University), vice provost and associate vice provost at Norfolk State University, and he served in various positions at Clark Atlanta University and Albany State University.
Among his professional and community memberships are: the Presidents’ Roundtable of African-American CEOs, the HBCU Learning Ecosystem, 100 Black Men of America, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Todd also serves as a SACSCOC CEO/president off-site reviewer.
A native of West Point, Georgia, Todd grew up in Decatur, Georgia. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Georgia State University, a Master of Education in higher education administration with a student affairs concentration from Regent University, and both a Master of Education in English education and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Albany State University.
Todd will assume the role of president July 1 with an inauguration ceremony to follow at a later date.
