Bentley University Appoints First Black President

WALTHAM, MA — Bentley University appointed a new president. Dr. E. LaBrent Chrite is the university's the ninth president. He will be the first Black president in the university's 104-year history, according to the school.

Chrite will fill the space left by Alison Davis-Blake, who left abruptly in the summer.

“Brent Chrite shares our vision and passion for educating ethical leaders who make business a force for positive change,” said Paul Condrin, interim president and chair of the Bentley University board of trustees. “He has dedicated his career to improving business education and expanding economic opportunities across the country and around the world, and I know he will lead Bentley University to greater heights in the years to come.”

Chrite has more than 25 years of leadership experience in higher education. Most recently he was president of Bethune-Cookman, a historically Black university in Florida. There he led a process that created a long-term strategy for institutional governance and fiscal integrity, leading the university out of probation and strengthening its academic and administrative leadership teams.

As dean of the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, Chrite oversaw the development of a strategic plan aligned with the changing higher education landscape, leading to new programs as well as increased enrollment, student satisfaction and revenue.

He also served as dean of the Feliciano School of Business at Montclair State University, where he increased graduate enrollment by 24 percent, led the creation of a center for entrepreneurship, and partnered with the cities of Newark and Paterson to invite inner-city high school students to campus and introduce them to careers in business, according to Bentley.

“I believe the beauty of business lies in its ability to create solutions to human problems,” said Chrite. “A Bentley University education weaves together business skills with the arts and sciences and empowers students to transform business, society and their communities. I’m excited to join Bentley and build upon this mission.”

Chrite grew up in Detroit, has a PhD from the University of Michigan, MS from the University of Missouri-Columbia and BA from Michigan State University. He and his wife Phyllis will join the Bentley community on June 1.

Alison Davis-Blake was only the eighth president since the university was founded in 1917. She was the second woman to hold the position in 2018, and she was the first to hold the position for less than six years. She abruptly left in June 2020. The president in place before her, also a woman, held the role for 11 years.

Some 4,253 undergraduates are enrolled at the school, which sits on 163 acres in Waltham. Bentley University's was ranked No. 2 in the 2020 edition of Best Colleges is Regional Universities North. Tuition and fees run students $51,830, according to its US News and World Report listing.

• Previously: Bentley University President Leaving Abruptly ...