Delaware State University: Difference between revisions

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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Short description|Historically black university in Dover, Delaware, US}}
{{Short description|Historically black university in Dover, Delaware, US}}
{{hatnote|"Delaware State" redirects here. For the U.S. state, see [[Delaware]].}}
{{redirect|Delaware State|the U.S. state|Delaware}}
{{Distinguish|University of Delaware}}
{{Distinguish|University of Delaware}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox university
{{Infobox university
  | name                  = Delaware State University
  | name                  = Delaware State University
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  | president              = [[Tony Allen (academic administrator)|Tony Allen]]
  | president              = [[Tony Allen (academic administrator)|Tony Allen]]
  | faculty                = 600
  | faculty                = 600
  | students              = 6,451<ref>{{cite web |url=https://baytobaynews.com/stories/delaware-state-university-enrollment-continues-to-soar,122306|title=Delaware State University enrollment continues to soar|publisher=Daily State News|year=2023|access-date=November 22, 2023}}</ref>
  | students              = 6,623 (2025)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.desu.edu/news/2025/11/dsu-hits-new-enrollment-record-6623-total-students|title=DSU Hits New Enrollment Record - 6,623 Students!!!|publisher=Delaware State University|year=2025|access-date=November 21, 2025}}</ref>
  | city                  = [[Dover, Delaware|Dover]]
  | city                  = [[Dover, Delaware|Dover]]
  | state                  = [[Delaware]]
  | state                  = [[Delaware]]
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  | campus_size            = {{cvt|706|acre|km2}}
  | campus_size            = {{cvt|706|acre|km2}}
  | former_names          = {{Unbulleted list|Delaware College for Colored Students (1891–1893)|State College for Colored Students (1893–1947)|Delaware State College (1947–1993)|Wilmington Conference Academy (1873–1918)|Wesley Collegiate Institute (1918–1941)|Wesley Junior College (1941–1958)|[[Wesley College (Delaware)|Wesley College]] (1958–2021)}}
  | former_names          = {{Unbulleted list|Delaware College for Colored Students (1891–1893)|State College for Colored Students (1893–1947)|Delaware State College (1947–1993)|Wilmington Conference Academy (1873–1918)|Wesley Collegiate Institute (1918–1941)|Wesley Junior College (1941–1958)|[[Wesley College (Delaware)|Wesley College]] (1958–2021)}}
  | colors                = Blue and  cherry red<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usteamcolors.com/delaware-state-university-colors/#:~:text=The+Delaware+State+University+colors,athletics+team+is+the+Hornets.|title=Delaware State University Colors &#124; NCAA Colors &#124; U.S. Team Colors|website=US Team Colors}}</ref><br>{{color box|#72CDF4}}&nbsp;{{color box|#EE3124}}
  | colors                = Columbia blue and  cherry red<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://usteamcolors.com/delaware-state-university-colors/#:~:text=The+Delaware+State+University+colors,athletics+team+is+the+Hornets.|title=Delaware State University Colors &#124; NCAA Colors &#124; U.S. Team Colors|website=US Team Colors}}</ref><br>{{color box|#72CDF4}}&nbsp;{{color box|#EE3124}}
  | sports_nickname        = [[Delaware State Hornets|Hornets]]
  | sports_nickname        = [[Delaware State Hornets|Hornets]]
  | sporting_affiliations  = {{hlist|[[NCAA Division I FCS]] – [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]]|[[Northeast Conference|NEC]]|[[ASUN Conference|ASUN]]|[[Eastern College Athletic Conference|ECAC]]}}
  | sporting_affiliations  = {{hlist|[[NCAA Division I FCS]] – [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]]|[[Northeast Conference|NEC]]|[[ASUN Conference|ASUN]]|[[Eastern College Athletic Conference|ECAC]]}}
  | website                = {{url|desu.edu}}
  | website                = {{URL|https://www.desu.edu/|desu.edu}}
  | logo                  = Delaware State University logo.svg
  | logo                  = Delaware State University logo.svg
  | logo_size              = 250
  | logo_upright          = .9
  | free_label            = Other campuses
  | free_label            = Other campuses
  | free                  = {{hlist|[[Georgetown, Delaware|Georgetown]]|[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]}}
  | free                  = {{hlist|[[Georgetown, Delaware|Georgetown]]|[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]}}
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==History==
==History==
===19th century===
===19th century===
The '''Delaware College for Colored Students''' was established on May 15, 1891, by the [[Delaware General Assembly]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter 119|url=http://delcode.delaware.gov/sessionlaws/volume19/chp119.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315063111/http://delcode.delaware.gov/sessionlaws/volume19/chp119.shtml|archive-date=March 15, 2016}}</ref> The name was changed to the '''State College for Colored Students''' by state legislative action in 1893 to eliminate confusion with Delaware College, which was attended by whites in [[Newark, Delaware]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter 635|url=http://delcode.delaware.gov/sessionlaws/volume19/chp635.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117024519/http://delcode.delaware.gov/sessionlaws/volume19/chp635.shtml|archive-date=November 17, 2016}}</ref>  It first awarded degrees in 1898.  
The '''Delaware College for Colored Students''' was established on May 15, 1891, by the [[Delaware General Assembly]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter 119|url=https://legis.delaware.gov/legacy/SessionLaws/volume19/chp119.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315063111/http://delcode.delaware.gov/sessionlaws/volume19/chp119.shtml|archive-date=March 15, 2016}}</ref> The name was changed to the '''State College for Colored Students''' by state legislative action in 1893 to eliminate confusion with Delaware College, which was attended by whites in [[Newark, Delaware]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter 635|url=https://legis.delaware.gov/legacy/SessionLaws/volume19/chp635.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161117024519/http://delcode.delaware.gov/sessionlaws/volume19/chp635.shtml|archive-date=November 17, 2016}}</ref>  It first awarded degrees in 1898.


===20th century===
===20th century===
In 1945, the [[Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools|Middle States Commission on Higher Education]] awarded the college provisional [[accreditation]]. Three years later, the institution became '''Delaware State College''' by legislative action. Although its accreditation was revoked in 1949, it was regained in 1957.  
In 1945, the [[Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools|Middle States Commission on Higher Education]] awarded the college provisional [[accreditation]]. Three years later, the institution became '''Delaware State College''' by legislative action. Although its accreditation was revoked in 1949, it was regained in 1957.


On July 1, 1993, the institution changed its name yet again, this time to '''Delaware State University'''.<ref name="history">{{cite web |title=Delaware State University History |url=https://www.desu.edu/about/history |access-date=May 22, 2017 |publisher=Delaware State University |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303114020/https://www.desu.edu/about/history |archive-date=March 3, 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Delaware State University is one of the first [[historically black colleges and universities]] to have a no-smoking policy.
On July 1, 1993, the institution changed its name yet again, this time to '''Delaware State University'''.<ref name="history">{{cite web |title=Delaware State University History |url=https://www.desu.edu/about/history |access-date=May 22, 2017 |publisher=Delaware State University |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303114020/https://www.desu.edu/about/history |archive-date=March 3, 2021 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Delaware State University is one of the first [[historically black colleges and universities]] to have a no-smoking policy.
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====2007 shooting====
====2007 shooting====
{{Main|2007 Delaware State University shooting}}
{{Main|2007 Delaware State University shooting}}
On September 21, 2007, two 17-year-old Delaware State University freshmen were shot on campus. One died 32 days later on October 23, from critical injuries sustained in the attack. A freshman student from [[East Orange, New Jersey]], Loyer D. Braden, was arrested and charged with murder.
On September 21, 2007, two 17-year-old Delaware State University freshmen were shot on campus. One died 32 days later on October 23, from critical injuries sustained in the attack. A freshman student from [[East Orange, New Jersey]], Loyer D. Braden, was arrested and charged with murder.


====Other events====
====Other events====
In 2015, the university began phasing out smoking on campus by restricting it to four designated areas and providing educational resources on smoking cessation tools and programs.  In August 2015 it implemented a completely tobacco-free policy.  
In 2015, the university began phasing out smoking on campus by restricting it to four designated areas and providing educational resources on smoking cessation tools and programs.  In August 2015 it implemented a completely tobacco-free policy.


In 2017, the university received the ACAS Health Leadership Award in recognition of its efforts.  The award was jointly presented by the Public Health Service Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health, the [[Truth Initiative]], Arizonans Concerned About Smoking and the Arizona [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People|NAACP]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/education/2017/07/05/dsu-one-few-smoke-free-hbcus/451813001/|title=DSU one of few smoke-free HBCUs|work=delawareonline|access-date=July 10, 2017|language=en}}</ref>
In 2017, the university received the ACAS Health Leadership Award in recognition of its efforts.  The award was jointly presented by the Public Health Service Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health, the [[Truth Initiative]], Arizonans Concerned About Smoking and the Arizona [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People|NAACP]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/education/2017/07/05/dsu-one-few-smoke-free-hbcus/451813001/|title=DSU one of few smoke-free HBCUs|work=delawareonline|access-date=July 10, 2017|language=en}}</ref>
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In December 2020, [[MacKenzie Scott]] donated $20 million to Delaware State University. Her donation is the largest single gift in the university's history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.desu.edu/news/2020/12/del-state-receives-historic-20mm-donation-mackenzie-scott |title=Del State receives historic $20MM donation from MacKenzie Scott |publisher=Delaware State University |date=December 15, 2020 |access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref>
In December 2020, [[MacKenzie Scott]] donated $20 million to Delaware State University. Her donation is the largest single gift in the university's history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.desu.edu/news/2020/12/del-state-receives-historic-20mm-donation-mackenzie-scott |title=Del State receives historic $20MM donation from MacKenzie Scott |publisher=Delaware State University |date=December 15, 2020 |access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref>


On July 1, 2021, Delaware State University officially finalized its acquisition of [[Wesley College (Delaware)|Wesley College]], a 157-year-old private institution founded by the Methodist Church in 1873.<ref>''Delaware State News'', July 2, 2021, edition, pages 1 and 8.</ref> This acquisition makes Delaware State the first historically Black university to acquire an institution that is not a historically Black college or university.<ref>{{cite web|title=Delaware State University will acquire Wesley College, a first for HBCUs|url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/07/10/delaware-state-university-will-acquire-wesley-college-first-hbcus|access-date=July 20, 2020|website=insidehighered.com|language=en}}</ref>  
On July 1, 2021, Delaware State University officially finalized its acquisition of [[Wesley College (Delaware)|Wesley College]], a 157-year-old private institution founded by the Methodist Church in 1873.<ref>''Delaware State News'', July 2, 2021, edition, pages 1 and 8.</ref> This acquisition makes Delaware State the first historically Black university to acquire an institution that is not a historically Black college or university.<ref>{{cite web|title=Delaware State University will acquire Wesley College, a first for HBCUs|url=https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/07/10/delaware-state-university-will-acquire-wesley-college-first-hbcus|access-date=July 20, 2020|website=insidehighered.com|language=en}}</ref>


The university has renamed the former Wesley campus "DSU Downtown", reflecting its close proximity to downtown [[Dover, Delaware]], and has relocated most of its College of Health and Behavioral Science (Public and Allied Health, Psychology, and Social Work programs on that additional 41-acre site. That academic division has been renamed the Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences as a way to preserve the history of the former Wesley College.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wchbs.desu.edu/ |title=Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences |publisher=Delaware State University |access-date=February 9, 2022 |archive-date=January 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129013122/https://wchbs.desu.edu/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The university has renamed the former Wesley campus "DSU Downtown", reflecting its close proximity to downtown [[Dover, Delaware]], and has relocated most of its College of Health and Behavioral Science (Public and Allied Health, Psychology, and Social Work programs on that additional 41-acre site. That academic division has been renamed the Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences as a way to preserve the history of the former Wesley College.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wchbs.desu.edu/ |title=Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences |publisher=Delaware State University |access-date=February 9, 2022 |archive-date=January 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220129013122/https://wchbs.desu.edu/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
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* Administration Building
* Administration Building
* [[Alumni Stadium (Delaware State)|Alumni Stadium]]
* [[Alumni Stadium (Delaware State)|Alumni Stadium]]
*[[Memorial Hall (Delaware State)|Memorial Hall]]
* The Bank of America Building
* The Bank of America Building
* Delaware Hall
* Delaware Hall
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==Administration==
==Administration==
{| class="wikitable floatright"
 
|+ Presidents
[[Tony Allen (academic administrator)|Tony Allen]] became the 12th president of Delaware State University on January 1, 2020, after serving the previous two and a half years as the university's provost and executive vice president. Three months into his presidency, Allen ended in-person classes and residential operations on campus following the emergence of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware|COVID-19 pandemic]], and the faculty began offering curriculum online. The university raised $1.5 million for a Student Emergency Relief Fund to address student needs brought on by COVID-19 crisis. Although the COVID-19 crisis continued throughout the year, Allen and the university reopened its residential halls for the fall semester 2020, allowing more than 1,700 students to resume their residency on campus while almost all classes continued to be held virtually.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/student-lire/student-health-services/covid-19|title=COVID-19, updates-7/7 Reopening plan|publisher=Delaware State University}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/studentrelief|title=Student Emergency Relief Fund\publisher=Delaware State University| work=Delaware State University |date = April 7, 2020 | author1=Dsu-Admin }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/presidential-tenure-highlights|title=The Presidents of Delaware State University and the Highlights of their Tenures|publisher=Delaware State University|year=2009|access-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607044031/http://www.desu.edu/presidential-tenure-highlights|archive-date=June 7, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
! Name !! Term !! Notes
 
The business and affairs of the university are governed by the board of trustees. The board of trustees has all the powers accorded it by Title 14, Chapter 65 of the Delaware Code.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://delcode.delaware.gov/title14/c065/index.html|title=Chapter 65. Organization, Administration and Functions – Delaware State University|publisher=delcode.delaware.gov – the Online Delaware Code website|access-date=August 8, 2012}}</ref> The board consists of 15 members whose appointment or election is provided for in the Delaware Code and the [[Governor of Delaware|governor of the state]] and the president of the university who are ex officio members with voting rights.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/board-trustees|title=Board of Trustees|publisher=Delaware State University|year=2009|access-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202031531/http://www.desu.edu/board-trustees|archive-date=February 2, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
 
===Presidents===
The following persons have served as president of Delaware State University:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.desu.edu/about/administration/president/presidents-delaware-state-university |title=Presidents of Delaware State University |publisher=Delaware State University}}</ref>
 
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
!{{abbr|No.|Number}}
!Image
!President
!Term start
!Term end
!{{refh}}
|-
|colspan=6 align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd" style="Font-weight: bold;" |President of Delaware College for Colored Students (1891–1893)
|-
|-
|Wesley P. Webb  
|1
|1891–1895
|
|Wesley P. Webb
|1891
|1895
|
|
|-
|-
|colspan=6 align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd" style="Font-weight: bold;" |Presidents of the State College for Colored Students (1893–1947)
|-
|2
|[[File:William C Jason.jpg|70px]]
|[[William C. Jason]]
|[[William C. Jason]]
|1895–1923
|1895
|1923
|
|
|-
|-
|Richard S. Grossley
|3
|1923–1942
|
|Richard S. Grossley
|1923
|1942
|
|
|-
|-
|Howard D. Gregg
|4
|1942–1949
|
|Howard Gregg
|1942
|1949
|
|-
|-
|Maurice E. Thomasson  
|colspan=6 align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd" style="Font-weight: bold;" |Presidents of Delaware State College (1947–1993)
|1949–1950,<br />1951–1952
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|(Acting president,<br />twice)
|''acting''
|
|Maurice E. Thomasson
|1949
|1950
|
|-
|-
|Oscar J. Chapman  
|5
|1950–1951
|
|Oscar J. Chapman
|1950
|1951
|
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|''acting''
|
|Maurice E. Thomasson
|1951
|1953
|
|
|-
|-
|[[Jerome H. Holland]]  
|6
|1953–1960
|
|[[Jerome H. Holland]]
|July 1, 1953
|1960 {{efn-ua|Resigned to lead the Hampton Institute.}}
|
|
|-
|-
|Luna I. Mishoe  
|7
|1960–1987
|
|Luna I. Mishoe
|October 1960
|June 30, 1987
|
|
|-
|-
|William B. DeLauder  
|colspan=6 align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd" style="Font-weight: bold;" |Presidents of Delaware State University (1993–present)
|1987–2003
|-
|8
|
|William B. DeLauder
|July 1, 1987
|June 30, 2003
|
|
|-
|-
|[[Allen Sessoms]]
|9
|2003–2008
|
|[[Allen L. Sessoms]]
|July 1, 2003
|August 31, 2008 {{efn-ua|Resigned to lead the University of the District of Columbia.}}
|
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|''acting''
|
|
|-
|[[Claibourne D. Smith]]
|[[Claibourne D. Smith]]
|2008–2010
|September 1, 2008
|(Acting president)
|January 9, 2010
|
|-
|-
|[[Harry L. Williams]]
|10
|2010–2017
|
|
|[[Harry Lee Williams]]
|January 10, 2010
|December 31, 2017 {{efn-ua|Resigned to lead the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.}}
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.desu.edu/news/2009/11/dsu-board-selects-dr-harry-l-williams-10th-dsu-president |title=DSU Board Selects Dr. Harry L. Williams as the 10th DSU President |date=November 20, 2009 |publisher=Delaware State University |quote=The Delaware State University Board of Trustees announced today the selection of Dr. Harry Lee Williams to be the 10th president in the history of the institution... Dr. Williams succeeds Dr. Allen L. Sessoms who resigned at the end of August 2008 to accept a president post at the University of the District of Columbia. Dr. Claibourne D. Smith, chairman of the Board of Trustees, has served as the acting president since Dr. Sessoms’ departure.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://whyy.org/articles/delaware-state-university-president-resigning-to-lead-thurgood-marshall-fund/ |title=Delaware State University President Harry Williams to head Thurgood Marshall Fund; leaves DSU in January |first1=Cris |last1=Barrish |first2=Nichelle |last2=Polston |date=October 23, 2017 |work=[[WHYY-FM]]}}</ref>
|- bgcolor="#e6e6aa"
|''acting''
|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff" |
|rowspan="2" bgcolor="#ffffff" |[[Wilma Mishoe]] {{efn-ua|Daughter of president Luna Mishoe.}}
|January 2, 2018
|June 30, 2018
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.desu.edu/news/2018/01/dr-mishoe-begins-chapter-interim-president |title=Dr. Mishoe begins chapter as interim president |date=January 10, 2018 |publisher=Delaware State University |quote=Dr. Mishoe took over the leadership of the University on Jan. 2 from Dr. Harry L. Williams, who ended his eight-year tenure as DSU President in December to become the CEO and president of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.}}</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Wilma Mishoe]]
|11
|January 1, 2018 – June 30, 2018<br />July 1, 2018–Dec. 2019
|July 1, 2018
|(Acting president)<br />(Permanent president)
|December 31, 2019
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.desu.edu/news/2018/06/dr-wilma-mishoe-selected-be-11th-permanent-dsu-president |title=Dr. Wilma Mishoe selected to be 11th permanent DSU president |date=June 15, 2018 |publisher=Delaware State University |quote=Earlier today, the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Wilma Mishoe as the 11th President of Delaware State University, effective July 1, 2018.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.desu.edu/news/2019/09/president-mishoe-announces-intention-retire-university |title=President Mishoe announces intention to retire from University |date=September 5, 2019 |publisher=Delaware State University |quote=Today, on her 70th birthday, Dr. Wilma Mishoe announced her intention to retire as President of Delaware State University, effective December 31, 2019, the capstone to a 40-year career in higher education that ends where it started: on the Dover campus of her beloved University.}}</ref>
|-
|12
|
|
|[[Tony Allen (academic administrator)|Tony Allen]]
|January 1, 2020
|present
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.desu.edu/news/2019/09/article-tony-allen-vows-keep-dsu-course-engaged-stakeholders |title=Tony Allen vows to keep DSU on course, engaged with stakeholders |date=September 14, 2019 |publisher=Delaware State University |quote=Provost Dr. Tony Allen will assume the presidency of Delaware State University on Jan. 1 following the departure of Wilma Mishoe, who announced Sept. 5 that she will retire after a 40-year career in education.}}</ref>
|-
|-
|[[Tony Allen (academic administrator)|Tony Allen]]
|Feb. 2020–present
|
|}
|}
[[Tony Allen (academic administrator)|Tony Allen]] became the 12th president of Delaware State University on January 1, 2020, after serving the previous two and a half years as the university's provost and executive vice president. Three months into his presidency, Allen ended in-person classes and residential operations on campus following the emergence of the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware|COVID-19 pandemic]], and the faculty began offering curriculum online. The university raised $1.5 million for a Student Emergency Relief Fund to address student needs brought on by COVID-19 crisis. Although the COVID-19 crisis continued throughout the year, Allen and the university reopened its residential halls for the fall semester 2020, allowing more than 1,700 students to resume their residency on campus while almost all classes continued to be held virtually.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/student-lire/student-health-services/covid-19|title=COVID-19, updates-7/7 Reopening plan|publisher=Delaware State University}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/studentrelief|title=Student Emergency Relief Fund\publisher=Delaware State University| work=Delaware State University |date = April 7, 2020 | author1=Dsu-Admin }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/presidential-tenure-highlights|title=The Presidents of Delaware State University and the Highlights of their Tenures|publisher=Delaware State University|year=2009|access-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120607044031/http://www.desu.edu/presidential-tenure-highlights|archive-date=June 7, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>


The business and affairs of the university are governed by the board of trustees. The board of trustees has all the powers accorded it by Title 14, Chapter 65 of the Delaware Code.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://delcode.delaware.gov/title14/c065/index.shtml|title=Chapter 65. Organization, Administration and Functions – Delaware State University|publisher=delcode.delaware.gov – the Online Delaware Code website|access-date=August 8, 2012}}</ref> The board consists of 15 members whose appointment or election is provided for in the Delaware Code and the [[Governor of Delaware|governor of the state]] and the president of the university who are ex officio members with voting rights.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/board-trustees|title=Board of Trustees|publisher=Delaware State University|year=2009|access-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202031531/http://www.desu.edu/board-trustees|archive-date=February 2, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Table notes:
{{notelist-ua}}


==Academics==
==Academics==
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The university has over thirty formal international partnerships with institutions in countries including China, Cuba, [[Egypt]], France, Italy, Japan, [[Korea]], Mexico, [[Nigeria]], Poland and the [[United Kingdom|UK]] which facilitate  research and conference collaborations as well as student exchanges.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/faculty-research-abroad|title=Faculty Research Abroad|publisher=Delaware State University|year=2009|access-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728065521/http://www.desu.edu/faculty-research-abroad|archive-date=July 28, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The university has over thirty formal international partnerships with institutions in countries including China, Cuba, [[Egypt]], France, Italy, Japan, [[Korea]], Mexico, [[Nigeria]], Poland and the [[United Kingdom|UK]] which facilitate  research and conference collaborations as well as student exchanges.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desu.edu/faculty-research-abroad|title=Faculty Research Abroad|publisher=Delaware State University|year=2009|access-date=August 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728065521/http://www.desu.edu/faculty-research-abroad|archive-date=July 28, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>


==Student activities==
==Student life==
{| class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"
|+ style="font-size:90%" |Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023<ref>{{cite web |title= College Scorecard: Delaware State University|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?130934-Delaware-State-University|website=College Scorecard |publisher=[[United States Department of Education]] |access-date=August 17, 2025}}</ref>
|-
! Race and ethnicity
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total
|-
| [[African Americans|Black]]
|align=right| {{bartable|75|%|2||background:purple}}
|-
| [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]]
|align=right| {{bartable|8|%|2||background:green}}
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic whites|White]]
|align=right| {{bartable|7|%|2||background:cyan}}
|-
| [[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]]
|align=right| {{bartable|6|%|2||background:violet}}
|-
| [[International student]]
|align=right| {{bartable|2|%|2||background:#008080}}
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]]
|align=right| {{bartable|1|%|2||background:orange}}
|-
! colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |[[Economic diversity]]
|-
| [[American lower class|Low-income]]{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal [[Pell grant]] intended for low-income students.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|48|%|2||background:red}}
|-
| [[Affluence in the United States|Affluent]]{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the [[American middle class]] at the bare minimum.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|52|%|2||background:black}}
|}
=== Athletics ===
=== Athletics ===
{{main|Delaware State Hornets}}
{{main|Delaware State Hornets}}
{{see also|Delaware State Hornets men's basketball|Delaware State Hornets football}}
{{see also|Delaware State Hornets men's basketball|Delaware State Hornets football}}
[[File:Delaware State University Student Center.jpg|thumb|Delaware State University's Student Center]]
[[File:Delaware State University Student Center.jpg|thumb|Delaware State University's Student Center]]
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{{Alum|name=[[Emanual Davis]]|year=1991|nota=former NBA player for the [[Atlanta Hawks]] and [[Seattle SuperSonics]]}}
{{Alum|name=[[Emanual Davis]]|year=1991|nota=former NBA player for the [[Atlanta Hawks]] and [[Seattle SuperSonics]]}}
{{Alum|name=[[Wayne Gilchrest]]|year=1973|nota=[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]] for [[Maryland's 1st congressional district]], 1990–2009}}
{{Alum|name=[[Wayne Gilchrest]]|year=1973|nota=[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]] for [[Maryland's 1st congressional district]], 1990–2009}}
{{Alum|name=[[LaToya Nkongolo]]|year=2000|nota=[[State Delegate Maryland General Assembly]] for [[District 31]], 2025-present}} url: https://www.capitalgazette.com/2025/01/10/latoya-nkongolo-sworn-in-as-a-district-31-representative-in-maryland-house-of-delegates/
{{Alum|name=[[LaToya Nkongolo]]|year=2000|nota=[[Maryland General Assembly]] delegate for [[Maryland Legislative District 31|District 31]], 2025-present}}
{{Alum|name=[[Jamaal Jackson]]|year=2003|nota=[[National Football League]] [[offensive lineman]], [[Philadelphia Eagles]], 2003–2010}}
{{Alum|name=[[Jamaal Jackson]]|year=2003|nota=[[National Football League]] [[offensive lineman]], [[Philadelphia Eagles]], 2003–2010}}
{{Alum|name=[[Shaheer McBride]]|year=2008|nota=[[National Football League]] [[wide receiver]]}}
{{Alum|name=[[Shaheer McBride]]|year=2008|nota=[[National Football League]] [[wide receiver]]}}
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{{Alum|name=[[SZA]]|nota= [[Grammy Awards|Grammy Award]]-winning [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] singer|year=2012}}
{{Alum|name=[[SZA]]|nota= [[Grammy Awards|Grammy Award]]-winning [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] singer|year=2012}}
{{AlumniEnd}}
{{AlumniEnd}}
==Notes==
{{noteslist}}


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Delaware State University| ]]
[[Category:Delaware State University| ]]
[[Category:1891 establishments in Delaware]]
[[Category:1891 establishments in Delaware]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Dover, Delaware]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Dover, Delaware]]
[[Category:Education in Kent County, Delaware]]
[[Category:Education in Kent County, Delaware]]

Latest revision as of 12:01, 6 December 2025

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Delaware State University (DSU or Del State) is a privately governed, state-assisted historically black land-grant research university in Dover, Delaware. DSU also has two satellite campuses: one in Wilmington and one in Georgetown. The university encompasses four colleges and a diverse population of undergraduate and advanced-degree students. Delaware State University is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity".[1]

File:Delaware State University Riverfront building in Wilmington, DE 01.jpg
Delaware State University Riverfront building in Wilmington

History

19th century

The Delaware College for Colored Students was established on May 15, 1891, by the Delaware General Assembly.[2] The name was changed to the State College for Colored Students by state legislative action in 1893 to eliminate confusion with Delaware College, which was attended by whites in Newark, Delaware.[3] It first awarded degrees in 1898.

20th century

In 1945, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education awarded the college provisional accreditation. Three years later, the institution became Delaware State College by legislative action. Although its accreditation was revoked in 1949, it was regained in 1957.

On July 1, 1993, the institution changed its name yet again, this time to Delaware State University.[4] Delaware State University is one of the first historically black colleges and universities to have a no-smoking policy.

21st century

2007 shooting

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On September 21, 2007, two 17-year-old Delaware State University freshmen were shot on campus. One died 32 days later on October 23, from critical injuries sustained in the attack. A freshman student from East Orange, New Jersey, Loyer D. Braden, was arrested and charged with murder.

Other events

In 2015, the university began phasing out smoking on campus by restricting it to four designated areas and providing educational resources on smoking cessation tools and programs. In August 2015 it implemented a completely tobacco-free policy.

In 2017, the university received the ACAS Health Leadership Award in recognition of its efforts. The award was jointly presented by the Public Health Service Officers Foundation for the Advancement of Public Health, the Truth Initiative, Arizonans Concerned About Smoking and the Arizona NAACP.[5]

In December 2020, MacKenzie Scott donated $20 million to Delaware State University. Her donation is the largest single gift in the university's history.[6]

On July 1, 2021, Delaware State University officially finalized its acquisition of Wesley College, a 157-year-old private institution founded by the Methodist Church in 1873.[7] This acquisition makes Delaware State the first historically Black university to acquire an institution that is not a historically Black college or university.[8]

The university has renamed the former Wesley campus "DSU Downtown", reflecting its close proximity to downtown Dover, Delaware, and has relocated most of its College of Health and Behavioral Science (Public and Allied Health, Psychology, and Social Work programs on that additional 41-acre site. That academic division has been renamed the Wesley College of Health and Behavioral Sciences as a way to preserve the history of the former Wesley College.[9]

Campus

File:Delaware State University Wellness Center.jpg
Delaware State University's Wellness and Recreation Center

The Script error: No such module "convert". main campus in Dover, the capital of Delaware, is approximately a two-hour drive from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., and three hours from New York City. The university has two satellite campuses located in Wilmington and Georgetown.

The main campus in Dover contains thirty buildings, including:

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On the main campus there are five main campus traditional residential halls and three apartment-style residence halls for upperclassmen on campus. Off-campus there is an apartment complex and an residential hall. In addition, the university has activated two residential halls at DSU Downtown (the former Wesley College campus). The residential facilities include:

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  • Harriet Tubman-Lydia Laws Hall
  • Jenkins Hall
  • Medgar Evers Hall
  • Wynder Towers
  • The Living and Learning Commons (off campus)
  • University Courtyard Apartments (off campus)
  • University Village Complex
  • Warren-Franklin Hall
  • Malmberg Hall (DSU Downtown)
  • Zimmerman Hall (DSU Downtown)

Two dining halls serve the more than 1,500 on-campus students.

As a part of the Internet2 initiative, the university maintains several research computer laboratories including a high-performance computational cluster in its DESAC center. Almost every building has a computer lab and each student has a dedicated data port for internet access, their own phone, a campus email address, and cable television access in all residence hall rooms. Most campus buildings also offer wireless connectivity.

DSU is one of 148 schools in the country to receive Tree Campus USA recognition from the Arbor Day Foundation.[11] The university owns two farms near Kenton and Smyrna, and has an Airway Science Program based at Delaware Air Park in Cheswold.[12]

Administration

Tony Allen became the 12th president of Delaware State University on January 1, 2020, after serving the previous two and a half years as the university's provost and executive vice president. Three months into his presidency, Allen ended in-person classes and residential operations on campus following the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the faculty began offering curriculum online. The university raised $1.5 million for a Student Emergency Relief Fund to address student needs brought on by COVID-19 crisis. Although the COVID-19 crisis continued throughout the year, Allen and the university reopened its residential halls for the fall semester 2020, allowing more than 1,700 students to resume their residency on campus while almost all classes continued to be held virtually.[13][14][15]

The business and affairs of the university are governed by the board of trustees. The board of trustees has all the powers accorded it by Title 14, Chapter 65 of the Delaware Code.[16] The board consists of 15 members whose appointment or election is provided for in the Delaware Code and the governor of the state and the president of the university who are ex officio members with voting rights.[17]

Presidents

The following persons have served as president of Delaware State University:[18]

No. Image President Term start Term end Template:Refh
President of Delaware College for Colored Students (1891–1893)
1 Wesley P. Webb 1891 1895
Presidents of the State College for Colored Students (1893–1947)
2 File:William C Jason.jpg William C. Jason 1895 1923
3 Richard S. Grossley 1923 1942
4 Howard Gregg 1942 1949
Presidents of Delaware State College (1947–1993)
acting Maurice E. Thomasson 1949 1950
5 Oscar J. Chapman 1950 1951
acting Maurice E. Thomasson 1951 1953
6 Jerome H. Holland July 1, 1953 1960 Template:Efn-ua
7 Luna I. Mishoe October 1960 June 30, 1987
Presidents of Delaware State University (1993–present)
8 William B. DeLauder July 1, 1987 June 30, 2003
9 Allen L. Sessoms July 1, 2003 August 31, 2008 Template:Efn-ua
acting Claibourne D. Smith September 1, 2008 January 9, 2010
10 Harry Lee Williams January 10, 2010 December 31, 2017 Template:Efn-ua [19][20]
acting Wilma Mishoe Template:Efn-ua January 2, 2018 June 30, 2018 [21]
11 July 1, 2018 December 31, 2019 [22][23]
12 Tony Allen January 1, 2020 present [24]

Table notes: Template:Notelist-ua

Academics

File:Joe Biden delivering commencement speech at Delaware State University in 2016.jpg
Then U.S. vice president Joe Biden delivering the commencement speech in May 2016

The university consists of four colleges:[25]

  • College of Agriculture, Science & Technology
  • College of Humanities, Education & Social Sciences
  • College of Business
  • College of Health & Behavioral Sciences

DSU offers 46 undergraduate degrees, 21 graduate degrees, and six doctoral degrees (interdisciplinary applied mathematics and mathematical physics, applied chemistry, neuroscience and optics, integrative agriculture, food & environment, and educational leadership).[26] The university also offers several cooperative and dual degree programs.[27] Students receive instruction in classes with a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. About 80 percent of first-year undergraduates receive need-based financial aid.[28] It has a traditional Honors Program and a Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Honors Program to increase the number of students in science interested in pursuing biomedical research and obtaining doctor of philosophy degrees in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science, and biopsychology.

In addition to satisfying the requirements for the major or majors and any minor, all undergraduates are required to complete the General Education Program, which includes: seven core courses, twelve foundation courses (across the curriculum), and the Senior Capstone Experience.

Accreditations include the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the Accreditation Council for Programs in Hospitality Administration (ACPHA), the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetic Education (CCDE).[29][30] The university's College of Business is accredited nationally and internationally by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).[31]

Aviation program

DSU's Aviation Program provides students with education and experience in preparation for careers in the aviation industry. Curricula in the program lead to a B.Sc. degree with concentrations in Aviation Management or Professional Pilot. Professional Pilot graduates will complete their Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for Private Pilot, Instrument, Commercial, Multi-Engine and Certified Flight Instructor ratings while earning their bachelor's degree.[32]

Delaware State operates the only full-service, university-based flight school in the mid-Atlantic area. The Aviation program is approved by the State of Delaware Education Department for Veterans Flight Training.[33][34]

Research

The institution has greatly increased its research endeavors over the past several years, as it has developed the research infrastructure needed to attract federal grants for projects in the following DSU Research Centers and in the sciences and mathematics:

  • Applied Mathematics Research Center
  • Center for Applied Optics
  • Center for Research and Education in Optical Sciences and Applications (CREOSA) (a National Science Foundation-Center for Research Excellence (NSF-CREST))
  • Center for Applied Optics for Space Science (CAOSS) (a National Aeronautics and Space Administration University Research Center (NASA-URC))[35]
  • Delaware Center for Scientific and Applied Computation

Rankings

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DSU is ranked 8th among the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S. News & World Report (2023).[36]

In 2018, the College of Business at DSU was named to the Princeton Review's Best Business Schools for the tenth consecutive year (2009–2018).[37]

Global connections

The university has over thirty formal international partnerships with institutions in countries including China, Cuba, Egypt, France, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland and the UK which facilitate research and conference collaborations as well as student exchanges.[38]

Student life

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023[39]
Race and ethnicity Total
Black Template:Bartable
Hispanic Template:Bartable
White Template:Bartable
Two or more races Template:Bartable
International student Template:Bartable
Asian Template:Bartable
Economic diversity
Low-incomeTemplate:Efn Template:Bartable
AffluentTemplate:Efn Template:Bartable

Athletics

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File:Delaware State University Student Center.jpg
Delaware State University's Student Center

DSU athletic programs participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA)'s Division I (FCS for football). The Hornets compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference as full members since the conference was founded in 1970.

The university's Department of Intramural Sports provides a wide variety of quality recreational programs for students, faculty and staff.

Student organizations

Delaware State has over 60 student organizations on campus including a Student Government Association (SGA), gospel choir, and The Approaching Storm Marching Band.[40][41]

Notable alumni

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Name Class year Notability Reference(s)
Reggie Barnes 1988 Canadian Football League running back, various teams, 1990–1996
Clyde Bishop 1964 U.S. Ambassador to the Marshall Islands, 2006–2009
Clifford Brown trumpet virtuoso, composer, an influential and highly rated American jazz musician
Robin Christiansen mayor of Dover since 2014, city councilman from 1983 to 2001, and council president and vice mayor from 1990 to 2001 [42]
Emanual Davis 1991 former NBA player for the Atlanta Hawks and Seattle SuperSonics
Wayne Gilchrest 1973 U.S. Representative for Maryland's 1st congressional district, 1990–2009
LaToya Nkongolo 2000 Maryland General Assembly delegate for District 31, 2025-present
Jamaal Jackson 2003 National Football League offensive lineman, Philadelphia Eagles, 2003–2010
Shaheer McBride 2008 National Football League wide receiver
Darnerien McCants 2001 National Football League wide receiver
Rod Milstead 1992 National Football League offensive lineman, Dallas Cowboys 1992, Cleveland Browns 1992–1993, San Francisco 49ers 1994–1997, Washington Redskins 1998–1999, Denver Broncos 2000
Sam Shepherd 1975 represented Venezuela in basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics [43][44]
John Taylor 1986 National Football League wide receiver, San Francisco 49ers, 1987–1995
Walter Tullis National Football League wide receiver, Green Bay Packers
David G. Turner 1986 executive, Bank of America, recognized by Fortune magazine in 2002 as one of the "50 most powerful black executives in America"
Ralph Wesley 2003 public address announcer for the Washington Wizards [45]
Kailyn Lowry 2017 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom 2
SZA 2012 Grammy Award-winning R&B singer

Notes

Template:Noteslist

References

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  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  7. ↑ Delaware State News, July 2, 2021, edition, pages 1 and 8.
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Template:NRISref
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  15. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  17. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  18. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  25. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  26. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  28. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  30. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  31. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  32. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  33. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  34. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  35. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  36. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  37. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  38. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  39. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  40. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  41. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  42. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  43. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  44. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  45. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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Further reading

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External links

Template:Category commons

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Template:Delaware State University Script error: No such module "navboxes". Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Education in Kent County, Delaware Template:Colleges and universities in Delaware Template:Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Dover, DelawareScript error: No such module "navboxes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Template:Authority control

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