About Dr. Willis

The fifth president of Howard Community College, Dr. Daria J. Willis assumed office in January 2022, following a nationwide search and unanimous vote by the Board of Trustees. She is the first African American to lead the college.

Prior to her appointment, Dr. Willis was the president of Everett Community College. She has held leadership positions at community colleges in New York and Texas, and taught in Florida and Texas.

She currently serves as a 2021 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow, and on the American Association of Community Colleges’ Commission on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, the Howard County Economic Development Board, Local Children’s Board, Rising Leaders, and Phi Theta Kappa advisory board. Dr. Willis most recently received the Daily Record’s 2022 Most Influential Marylander, Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, and honored as a Living Legend by Councilmember Opal Jones.

Dr. Willis holds a Ph.D. in history from Florida State University, and has her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Florida A&M University.