President Edington Found a Pathway Out of Personal Hardship Through Education
President Edington Found a Pathway Out of Personal Hardship Through Education
The joy of learning, the protective love of grandparents and caring educators kept Maurice D. Edington, Ph.D., on the path to success in his youth. Protected from the realities of a drug epidemic in his community, Edington spent his early years in the library and off the streets while dreaming of a better life.
Brent Thigpen (left) and 2023-2024 Mr. Homecoming Jaeron Nichols (right) in
Cleveland L. Dennard Plaza.
“As a child, my grandparents shielded us from a lot of what was going on, and that’s what got me through high school,” said Edington, the University of the District of Columbia’s 10th President. “Crack devastated my community and some members of my family.”
Edington and his two older brothers were raised by his grandparents in Berkeley, California due to his parent’s substance abuse. His early exposure to the University of California, Berkeley campus and a nurturing home environment helped him become the first in his family to attend college.
“I didn’t see many people attaining success professionally, but I’ve always loved learning. As a kid, I would go to the library two to three days a week, and I was reading 24/7. I had a thirst for learning,” he said.
Edington’s affinity for math and science led him to Fisk University, where he would eventually earn a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry.
The 53-year-old chemist quickly points out that his college education would have been derailed had it not been for his favorite professor and mentor. After taking a Greyhound bus and arriving on Fisk’s campus with only $400 in his pocket and a duffle bag, he soon realized he didn’t have enough funds to pay his entire tuition. He turned to his chemistry professor, Dr. Princilla Evans, who helped him secure a scholarship to cover his tuition in full.
“That scholarship kept me in school; otherwise, I would have been a one-semester student,” Edington said. “I was so naïve when I left for college, but I just knew I had to leave.”
Edington credits Fisk, a fellow HBCU, with saving his life. “That’s where I came alive because I began to see a world [that] was available to me. I followed the path of my love for science. I also embraced my commitment to service. I realized that I could do both in higher education—help people learn and help them have access to opportunity.”
Edington continued his education after Fisk, earning a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Vanderbilt University and completing his postdoctoral studies at Duke University, where he was a National Institutes of Health National Research Service Award Postdoctoral Fellow.
His challenges as a student early on have made it easy for the President to relate to those struggling to attain an education in urban settings. Edington wants to make the pathway to higher education more accessible for students and has been a champion for pipeline recruitment and student retention, as well as for providing wraparound support services that address needs beyond the classroom.
“I want students to know that the future of UDC is bright. They will have a visible, engaged, student-centered President,” Edington said.
“I plan to have a strong presence in their lives, on and off campus. I am excited to see and hear from the students about what they want and need from us to support them as they matriculate through the University,” Edington said.
Understanding the plight of many UDC students drives the President to want to secure more scholarships and address obstacles to student success. He is committed to expanding partnerships, exploring ways to increase housing options and continuing infrastructure improvements, and making sure students feel heard.
As UDC’s 10th President, Edington brings over 20 years of higher-education experience. Most recently, he was executive vice president and chief operating officer at Florida A&M University (FAMU), the second-ranked administrator at the school. He previously served as FAMU’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, as well as the vice president for strategic planning, analysis, and institutional effectiveness.
His leadership strategy resulted in FAMU’s elevation in the U.S. News & World Report rankings for national public universities from #123 to #103, and the university has held the top ranking for public HBCUs for the past four consecutive years.
While at FAMU, Edington spearheaded considerable progress in increasing grant awards at FAMU by 100 percent, boosting enrollment of first-time college students by 13 percent and increasing graduate enrollment by 10 percent.
The President describes himself as caring, compassionate and analytical, and he believes in a strong work ethic. When it comes to faculty and staff, Edington said he tries to lead by example.
“I am driven by service and commitment. That’s what gets me up in the morning and keeps me going,” he said. “I try to model the behavior I expect from those I work with and those reporting to me.”
and President Maurice D. Edington, Ph.D.
(Photo courtesy of Lewis Johnson).
He prides himself on being the first person to work and probably the last person to leave most times, not just for the sake of it but because of the strong work ethic he’s always had.
“I set high expectations as a leader. I am very goal-oriented and outcome and results-oriented. I do believe in positioning each member of the team to be the best that they can be. I try to take the time to learn about each person professionally and personally so that I can understand what they need from me to support them in their work. I can’t ask you to be something if I’m not living up to that same standard,” Edington said.
Coming from a STEM background, the President is committed to helping the University reach Research 2 (R2) status, a designation denoting the level of research at a university.
“We support the mission to achieve R2 status because it opens the door for additional funding and support from federal agencies,” Edington said. “It makes it easier to attract top-notch faculty. Those things will open the door for more research opportunities, particularly for undergraduate students.”
Edington was the founding dean of the College of Science and Technology at FAMU. A physical chemist with a research specialty in ultrafast laser spectroscopy, his scholarly work includes research and training for faculty in STEM education. As an accomplished researcher, Edington helped secure over $12 million in research funding from various federal and state agencies for FAMU.
“I believe a vibrant, strong and active research program is critical to any institution, particularly UDC. When you are strong and active in research, the effects are felt across the campus,” he said. Under Edington’s leadership, FAMU increased student success outcomes, launched several new degree programs and experienced its highest performance in 2021 and 2023 on Florida’s Performance Based Funding Model. Edington succeeds President Ronald Mason Jr., J.D., the University’s longest-serving President. Mason ended his tenure on July 31, 2023, and he will remain a faculty member at the David A. Clarke School of Law.
“I want to build on President Mason’s legacy of building a strong foundation for the future,” he said. “I want to be seen as one of the people who led the charge to elevate UDC to top-tier status in terms of academic reputation and impact in the community. I want us to be a thriving, flourishing University for the District and highly regarded in all circles. I want to elevate the stature of this University.”
graduation at Florida State University’s College of Medicine.
When the President isn’t working on University business, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Tonya, and supporting his daughter, Gabriella Edington, M.D., a medical resident working in psychiatry in South Florida.
“My wife will be a fully engaged First Lady,” he said. “We are a package deal. We are fully committed to serving the University, and we are going to be very active.”
Edington is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc., pledging in 1989 with Fisk University’s Alpha Chi Chapter.
Music is a significant part of Edington’s life. He listens to hip-hop, jazz and R&B and names Mary J. Blige as his favorite artist. He is an avid reader who enjoys fiction and suspense novels and also enjoys mountain biking.
