Gary Crosby was selected as the first Black male president of Saint Elizabeth University. He was appointed by the Board of Trustees in March to take over the 122-year-old institution, NJ.com reported.  

“I stand before you today as president because God put people in my life who not only delivered excellence, but they also demanded it from me,” said Crosby, a first-generation college student, during his inauguration ceremony on Thursday. 

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Crosby will not only be the first Black president at Saint Elizabeth University, but his new appointment will mark the university’s first male president in the school’s history. Crosby will succeed Helen Streubert, who retired as president last year.  

Before becoming the president of STEU, Crosby worked as the vice president for student affairs at Alabama A&M University since 2015. In this role Crosby oversaw enrollment management, student support services, diversity and inclusion initiatives and chaired the school’s coronavirus task force. 

In the new position, he wants to focus on a new initiative called “Forward Together in Excellence” where the school is able to deliver education to students both domestically and abroad.  

“As a result of how higher education changed my life, I am hungry for this work, but I cannot do it alone,” Crosby said.