In a stunning turn of events, now former president of Bethune-Cookman University E. LaBrent Chrite has suddenly resigned, but not without a plan. Read the shocking story from Eileen-Zaffiro Kean originally published in The Daytona-Beach News-Journal below to learn why Chrite is leaving Florida for Massachusetts.

E. LaBrent Chrite, who abruptly resigned as president of Bethune-Cookman University on Tuesday morning without informing the school’s Board of Trustees, already has a new job.

Chrite is the new president of Bentley University, a private school located in Waltham, Mass. The school is focused on business education and is touted as one of the best business schools in the Northeast. Bentley has undergraduate, masters degree and PhD programs. Its enrollment includes 4,000 undergraduate students and 1,000 graduate students. Waltham is a city of about 63,000 people located about 11 miles northwest of downtown Boston.

Bentley’s website indicates that the search for a new president began in September 2020 — an indication that Chrite has been looking to leave B-CU for months. 

More:Bethune-Cookman President LaBrent Chrite abruptly resigns without informing board

The school’s homepage on Wednesday displayed a large color picture of Chrite with the headline “Brent Chrite named Bentley’s ninth president.” An announcement on a link from the homepage says Chrite will be the first Black president in the university’s 104-year history. The posting states Chrite will begin his new position on June 1.  

The announcement also states that Bentley’s board of trustees voted unanimously to confirm Chrite as the next president. 

“Brent Chrite shares our vision and passion for educating ethical leaders who make business a force for positive change,” Paul Condrin, interim president and chair of the Bentley University board of trustees, said in the announcement. “He has dedicated his career to improving business education and expanding economic opportunities across the country and around the world, and I know he will lead Bentley University to greater heights in the years to come.”