Kevin Howell became the first Black student body president of NC State University in 1987. He is now the university’s first Black chancellor after nearly 40 years.
The University of North Carolina (UNC) System Board of Governors voted unanimously in March to approve Howell to be the university 15th chancellor after being recommended by the UNC System President Peter Hans following a national search that attracted more than 75 candidates.
Howell is currently the first chancellor to have also served as student body president at the university. He began his role on May 5, succeeding Chancellor Randy Woodson, who announced that he will retire in June after 15 years leading the university.
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Howell, who studied political science at NC State and holds a law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill, is expected to bring extensive experience in university administration to his new role, having held leadership positions at NC State and within the UNC System for nearly 20 years.
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He was serving as the chief external affairs officer at UNC Health when he was elected as chancellor in March. Before that, he was vice chancellor for external affairs, partnerships and economic development at NC State from 2018 to 2023. In 2019, under his leadership, NC State won the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ top national award for economic engagement. He compared the honor to “winning a national championship.”
Other leadership roles he held at the university included being assistant to the chancellor for external affairs (2006-2016); interim vice chancellor for university advancement (2013-14); and interim executive director of the alumni association and associate vice chancellor for alumni affairs (2009-10), a statement by UNC system said.
From 2016 to 2018, Howell served as senior vice president for external affairs at the UNC System Office. He also worked in state government as legislative liaison to two former governors. Howell was director of governmental affairs at the NC Bar Association and worked as a management associate in corporate affairs for Jefferson-Pilot Financial Insurance Company.
A Shelby native, Howell began his career as a legal clerk at the North Carolina Court of Appeals after making history at NC State, where as student body president he represented students on the university’s Board of Trustees.
“This university shaped my life in profound and generous ways, and I am honored for the chance to lead my alma mater,” Howell said after being elected as chancellor. “NC State is a brilliant and inspiring place, just like the state we serve. There are exciting days ahead for the Pack, and I’m ready to make a difference.”
“We’re excited to welcome Kevin Howell back home to NC State,” said Ed Stack, chair of the chancellor search advisory committee and vice chair of the NC State Board of Trustees. “Among an impressive group of candidates, he stood out as the strongest choice. Kevin truly exemplifies the university’s ‘think and do’ spirit – especially in driving economic development and improving the lives of North Carolinians.”
“Kevin Howell is a born leader with a long record of service to North Carolina, the UNC System and NC State University,” Hans added. “His deep relationships across the state have helped drive investment and growth. I am confident that he will strengthen NC State’s role as a frontier research university, keeping North Carolina competitive in the most important fields of our future.”
