South Carolina State University released the names Monday of its three finalists for the position of interim president.

The candidates are Dr. Ivan W. Banks, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Leonard McIntyre, an associate professor in S.C. State’s Department of Educational Leadership and director of the Textbooks and Learning Materials Program, and Dr. Cynthia Warrick, a senior fellow at the Howard University School of Pharmacy, Center for Minority Health Services Research.

Trustees will interview the three finalists on Wednesday.

Dr. Rita Teal has been serving as acting president at the university following Dr. George Cooper’s March 30 resignation.

Dr. Ivan W. Banks

Banks is the chief academic officer in his current position at Cheyney. He oversees the implementation of academics and the student life mission, and supervises the deans of numerous schools including the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education and the Keystone Honors Academy.

Banks says his experience has provided him with the leadership skills needed to guide the university through the special challenges it’s facing.

Problems present a chance for an organization to look at itself and make changes, he said.

“It has been my experience that challenges bring with them opportunities to re-examine policies and practices,” Banks said. “Re-examination is the foundation for positive change and growth needed to reassure the key constituents that the university remains committed to preparing competent graduates who work and live productively in a dynamic, global society.”

Banks says he feels secure in his ability to, “address any new challenges relative to access and attainment, affordability, accountability and competitiveness in terms of program rigor and student success.”

He has been involved in the field of education since 1977, when he began teaching social studies on the high school level. In 1981, he became a teaching associate at the University of Kentucky. Between 1981 and 2008, when he was hired at Cheyney, Banks worked as an associate professor, professor and dean at various colleges and universities, including West Georgia College, the University of Kentucky and New Jersey City University.

Banks earned his doctorate in instructional design and educational technology at the University of Kentucky, his master’s degree in education at John Carroll University and his bachelor’s degree in history and sociology at Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Leonard A. McIntyre

McIntyre says he’s “confident that my educational preparation, coupled with my background of experiences, have more than adequately positioned me with the skill set to provide the leadership needed to move S.C. State University forward.”

The interim presidency is not new to McIntyre. He held the position from December 2007, when the board of trustees ousted President Dr. Andrew Hugine, until July 2008, when Dr. George Cooper took over as president.

McIntyre was in the running for the position again in 2010, when the board voted not to renew Cooper’s contract, but lost out to Greenville judge Merl Code. However, Code failed to become interim president when several new members joined the S.C. State board and decided to keep Cooper.

McIntyre has been involved in the field of education for 30 years at various levels.

He worked in the public school system as superintendent in Hampton and Allendale counties before becoming state deputy superintendent of education. He moved to Felton Laboratory School on the university campus in 1998 as special school district superintendent.

In 2005, he became dean of the College of Education, Humanities and Social Sciences/director of TLMP. Since 2005, he has served in various capacities at the university.

He currently oversees a $13 million grant awarded to the university to develop, print and distribute at least 2.3 million textbooks and other educational learning materials for Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania by Aug. 31, 2012.

McIntyre earned his doctorate in educational administration from Iowa State University, a master’s of arts in Spanish literature/reading specialist from Tulane University and his bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Loyola University.

Dr. Cynthia Warrick

Warrick’s duties as a senior fellow at Howard University include mentoring junior faculty and graduate students, establishing research teams, monitoring research program announcements and participating in accreditation peer review on the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Periodic Review.

Warrick is also involved in federal grant study sections and special emphasis panels that include various National Institutes of Health programs.

Before her appointment at Howard University in 2009, Warrick worked as an assistant professor, adjunct professor and associate professor at several universities, including George Mason University in Virginia, the Texas Southern University College of Pharmacy and the Florida A&M School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

She was a tenured full professor of pharmacy and dean and chief research officer at Elizabeth City State University from 2006 until 2009.

Warrick earned her doctorate in environmental science and public policy from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.; a master’s degree in public policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta and a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Howard University.

The T&D was unable to contact Warrick on Monday.

Contact the writer: dlinder-altman@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5529.

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