DOVER, Del. - Delaware State University's President, Dr. Harry Lee Williams, will be leaving his office in January to become the president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

The announcement was made Monday night in Washington, D.C. at a gala for the nonprofit where Dr. Williams was awarded its Educational Leadership Award. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is the nation's largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community.

As president & CEO, Williams will lead the nonprofit's 47 member-schools. These schools represent nearly 300,000 students from America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions, and enroll nearly 80 percent of all students attending HBCUs, according to a press release. He will be charged with building new strategic partnerships to secure millions of dollars creating scholarships, enhancing capacity, expanding HBCU research initiatives, and stimulating innovative programming. Williams replaces Johnny C. Taylor Jr., who served as TMCF's President & CEO for seven years before accepting the position as president & CEO of the Society of Human Resource Management.

Calling his time at Delaware State University "the most defining decade of my professional life," Williams recalled the pride he has taken in leading the institution through its greatest period of growth and opportunity. "My family and I are deeply indebted to the State of Delaware and to Delaware State University. This University and its community – students, staff, faculty, alumni, trustees – have given us more than we could ever have imagined," said Dr. Williams.

Williams began his DSU career in 2007 with an appointment as provost and vice president for fcademic affairs. He's served as the university's president since January 2010.

Delaware Gov. John Carney led a chorus of praise for the departing president, saying in a statement, "Dr. Williams has led Delaware State University during a critical time - when higher education has been more important than ever to the success of young Delawareans, and to our collective success as a state. DSU has long been one of Delaware's most important and historic institutions, and its contributions to our state, our ability to attract talented young people, and prepare the next generation, have only grown under Dr. Williams' guidance. We'll miss his leadership in Delaware. The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is lucky to have him and we wish him well."

Delaware's entire congressional delegation – Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons; and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt-Rochester – joined the well-wishers, lauding Williams for his accomplishments and predicting great things for him at TMCF.

DSU Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Wilma Mishoe said the university will now look to the future.

"Our task is to find the next great, transformative leader for DSU. The executive committee will meet this week, followed very shortly by the full board of trustees, to discuss our path forward through a transition plan and a national search process," Mishoe said. "Stakeholders from the entire DSU family will be apprised of our progress and involved in our process."