HBCU President Suzanne Walsh Appointed To Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council

The President of all-girls HBCU Bennett College, Suzanne Walsh, has been appointed to the Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council (HSAPC) on June 21. The prestigious nomination entails advising the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas on improving the standards and safeties of our educational institutions.

The HSAPC, reinstated in 2022, will include new members such as President Walsh to curate a diverse cohort of academic leaders stemming from a wide range of institutions, such as 2 and 4-year colleges, HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, and Tribal colleges.

Of the appointment, Secretary Mayorkas made an announcement on the plans for the now 20 member group, and how their contributions will shape the advancement and security of higher education for the upcoming years.

“Leaders of our academic institutions and campus life have a great deal to offer in helping us counter the evolving and emerging threats to the homeland,” said DHS Official. “The Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council’s insights into strategic research, innovation, career development, and partnership opportunities for the Department will support our mission to safeguard the American people, and help our country think through and prepare for whatever threats lie ahead.”

Their recommendations as a Council will go toward emergency management and preparedness measures, communications regarding actionable threats to all necessary parties, and career readiness in a contemporary workforce for graduating students. In addition to this, the members will also assist in further developing research opportunities for academic hubs such as the DHS Science and Technology Centers of Excellence.

As national threats emerge, these prominent leaders in the academic field will provide vital insight into how to facilitate and coordinate the best possible course of actions that prioritize the safety and wellness of faculty and students. Walsh is not only representing HBCU presidents, but all-girls institutions for Black women such as Bennett College, in her strategy recommendations that will shape current educational policy.

Walsh’s future tasks in the esteemed cohort will be documented in the Federal Register, after the Council holds its first public meeting in the upcoming weeks.