domestic violence and also in caring for people who are experiencing domestic violence, trying to help prevent it as well, but also for people with drug and alcohol dependencies. Because we need those two things in our community as well.”
Dillard is innovation—specifically clean energy. She is careful to point out that the university will continue its work on lasers with the U.S. Air Force. “But the newest thing that we are leaning into is related to the new energy marketplace,” she said. “We recognize that we need sustainable forms and cleaner forms of energy. Now, we're not an engineering
first as a lecturer in the School of Communications. At Howard, she moved up to sequence coordinator for advertising and public relations and tenured professor before being promoted to associate dean for the School of Communications. From there she moved to Syracuse University as chair of the Public Relations Department
Additional certificate programs are slated to launch in 2024 for law enforcement
at the Newhouse School of Public
officers and departments looking to become more conscious about racial justice and social justice issues. Certification programs are important for the community, Ford noted, because the reality is that a four-year degree is not for everyone. Another component of Ford’s vision for Dillard— and the New Orleans community—is food equity. She recounted that the late musician Ray Charles endowed a program on material culture at Dillard, which she says is really about building upon New Orleans’ fame for food but working to make it
Communications and then to Elon University as dean of the School of Communications. But it was HBCUs that kept tugging at her. “I could have stayed at Syracuse or stayed at Elon,” Ford said. “But I thought about it and realized that if I'm going to take on a 24-hour job, then it's going to be for my people. And I'm going to give back to students and to faculty and to the staff what I received at Howard, and what my dad received at Morgan State University and my brother received at St. Augustine. I'm going to give that back. I could
healthier. “New Orleans is at the top of many lists for bad health outcomes because we have high cholesterol,” she said, “and a lot of that is because much of our food is sauced and fried. It's amazing food, but it leads to very unhealthy eating habits and high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes. So we want to promote ways to retain the culture, the food culture, but with much healthier physical health outcomes.”
school, I'm not starting engineering, but we are going to be in the business of new energy.” Ford graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Howard University in 1993. She earned a master’s certificate in gerontology from the University of Maryland, a master’s in journalism from Maryland and a doctor of philosophy in journalism from Southern Illinois University. She returned to Howard in 1998
very easily give it to another school, a predominantly white institution, and probably make a whole lot more money. But do they need me? Do they need me? I think my people need me. “Plus, I believe in HBCUs. I know when you talk to an HBCU grad, there's something special about them,” Ford said. “They love their school. They're going to banter with whomever their competition is, but they love their schools, and their heads are held a
The final piece of Ford’s vision for
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