Dean College president inducted into MLK Jr. Collegium of Scholars

Photo | Courtesy of Dean College Kenneth Elmore, president at Dean College

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Kenneth Elmore, the president of Dean College in Franklin, has been inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Collegium of Scholars at Morehouse College, an award meant to highlight individuals who have demonstrated great achievement and a profound commitment to their society.

The honor is granted by the College of Ministers & Laity at Morehouse College, a private Georgia HBCU and the largest men’s liberal arts college in the country. Martin Luther King Jr. graduated from the school in 1948 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.

"My life's work has been focused on breaking the barriers of divisiveness by pushing communities to discover their shared humanity and to foster meaningful, authentic friendships," Elmore said in a Wednesday press release announcing the award. "That is why being inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Collegium of Scholars at Morehouse College is so very meaningful to me. Dr. King was the epitome of a remarkable leader and selfless servant, and I pledge to continue his legacy as a member of the MLK Collegium of Scholars."

The induction ceremony took place on Thursday in the Morehouse’s Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel. Elmore was nominated for the honor by Keith Magee, an author, reverend and professor who served as the senior religious affairs advisor for President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign.

“The reason I nominated President Elmore is due to his commitment to social justice and what it has represented throughout his professional career,” Magee said in the press release. “His leadership in higher education has been impeccable and he has used his business acumen, training, and understanding of family and community to represent the best of all of us. He has certainly upheld the legacy of Dr. King who understood the value of us not being judged by the color of our skin but by the content of our character.”

Elmore was one of the 46 inductees in the class of 2024. Past inductees include Justin Coles, an associate professor of social justice education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Elmore is the 14th president of Dean College and the first Black president in the school’s history. He was appointed to the position in June 2022.