Shaw President Tashni Dubroy resigns to take position at Howard

The school said in a statement that she has resigned to accept a position as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Howard University.

"This was one of the most difficult decisions of my professional life," Dubroy said in a statement. "I am honored that Shaw University's Board of Trustees entrusted me with the opportunity to lead my Alma Mater. I will always be grateful to Shaw University, where I honed my leadership capabilities and expertise in my capacity as its 17th president."

University officials said Dubroy is credited with the school's first enrollment increase in six years and the closing of a $4 million fundraising gap.

"We sincerely thank Dr. Dubroy for a remarkable of service to Shaw University," said Board Chairman Dr. Joe Bell. "We are proud of her energetic, inclusive and refreshing leadership and the manner in which she led our institution to surpass goals in student enrollment, fundraising and cost control. We wish her all the best in the next phase of her professional journey."

Dubroy worked to build bridges with the city of Raleigh, but also created some friction with her leadership style at the historically black university.

"I've gotten the opportunity to serve my Alma Mater in various capacities and every single lens that I view the university from has been a joyous experience and a treasure for me to be able to give back to the Shaw community the way that I've done," Dubroy said.

Dubroy graduated from Shaw in 2002 before getting a doctorate in chemistry from North Carolina State University in 2007.

Dubroy moved to the United States from Jamaica when she was 18, and she became a citizen in 2010.

Dubroy will begin work at Howard University in October.