Danette Howard was appointed secretary of higher education for the state of Maryland. She has been serving as interim secretary since last August. She previously held research positions at the University of Maryland and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Dr. Howard is a summa cum laude graduate of Howard University. She earned a master’s degree in administration, planning, and social policy from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education and an educational doctorate from the University of Maryland at College Park.
In making the appointment, Maryland governor, Martin O’Malley, stated, “Her dedication to creating innovative programs and years of expertise in higher education are essential to helping more Marylanders attend and complete college. We believe that under her leadership, we can build on the progress we’ve made to eliminate barriers to completion and help students obtain the skills and education they need to compete and win in the new economy.”