Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough will be the keynote speaker for Claflin University's 2022 Fall Commencement Convocation on Friday, December 9, at 10 a.m. in the Jonas T. Kennedy Health and Wellness Complex. Claflin will confer bachelor's and master's degrees to more than 100 candidates for graduation. Click
here to watch the Commencement ceremony live on Facebook.
A native of Atlanta, Dr. Walter M. Kimbrough was his high school salutatorian and student body president in 1985 and went on to earn degrees from the University of Georgia, Miami University in Ohio, and a doctorate in higher education from Georgia State University. He has enjoyed a fulfilling career in student affairs, serving at Emory University, Georgia State University, Old Dominion University, and Albany State University. In October of 2004, at the age of 37, he was named the 12th president of Philander Smith College. In 2012 he became the seventh president of Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana, and served for 10 years.
Presently, Kimbrough serves as the interim executive director of the Black Men’s Research Institute at Morehouse College. He was also named executive in residence for the University of Southern California Race and Equity Center. In early 2022, he was appointed by President Joseph Biden to the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs.
Kimbrough has been recognized for his research and writings on HBCUs and African American men in college. Recently he has emerged as one of the leaders discussing free speech on college campuses. Kimbrough also has been noted for his active use of social media. He was cited by Education Dive as one of 10 college presidents on Twitter who are doing it right (@HipHopPrez), and in 2015 he was named by The Best Schools.org as one of the 20 most interesting college presidents. In 2020, College Cliffs named him as one of the 50 Top U.S. College and University Presidents, and in 2021 he was named a Georgia State University Alumni of the Year award winner.
Dr. Kimbrough has forged a national reputation as an expert on fraternities and sororities, with specific expertise regarding historically Black, Latin and Asian groups. He is the author of the book, Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs and Challenges of Black Fraternities and Sororities, and has served as an expert witness in a number of hazing cases.