Dwaun Warmack

Dwaun J. Warmack attended Jared W. Finney High School in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Delta State University with a bachelor's degree in education and master's degree in sociology. He received his doctorate in educational leadership with a specialization in higher education from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. He completed his post-doctoral studies in educational leadership at Harvard University School of Education.

In 1999, his work in higher education began at his alma mater, Delta State University, as coordinator of student development and activities and as a financial aid counselor until 2002. He was then promoted to director of multicultural affairs and multicultural center. In 2005, he began at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, as associate dean where he founded the Western North Carolina Minority Networking Program. In 2010, he served as vice president for enrollment management and student affairs and as senior vice president of administration and student services at Bethune-Cookman University until 2014.

Dr. Warmack was inaugurated as the 19th president of Harris-Stowe State University on April 15, 2015.[3] One of his goals: bring Harris-Stowe into the league of premier universities in the Midwest. His efforts resulted in a 25 percent increase in enrollment the following year, approximately 9 million dollars in external funding and, for the first time in the school's history, the passing of Senate Bill 334 which allows the university to grant master's degrees.

He has more than 20 years of progressive administrative experience in higher education at five distinct higher education institutions to the position. He is a scholar-practitioner and possesses a wealth of experience in program design, faculty and student development, assessment and accreditation. Since assuming the presidency of Harris-Stowe in 2014, Dr. Warmack has aggressively and strategically implemented programs and strategies which have resulted in significant increases in enrollment, retention and graduation rates.

Dr. Warmack has participated in a variety of professional development opportunities including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ (AASCU),[4] Millennium Leadership Initiative (MLI), and Hampton University’s “On The Road to the Presidency: Executive Leadership Summit.”[5]

In 2019, Dr. Warmack began his tenure as the ninth president [6] of Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC.[7]

He has appeared on CNN, Al Jazeera America, C-SPAN and NPR discussing educational issues that impact the nation. He currently serves on the boards of Cortex, the Saint Louis Science Center, the St. Louis Regional Chamber, The Muny, the Grand Center and the United Way of Greater St. Louis, and Greater St. Louis Area Council Boy Scouts of America.

Dr. Warmack is a peer reviewer with the Higher Learning Commission, the largest regional accreditation body in the United States.

Dr. Warmack was also selected as a 2019 Eisenhower Fellow. Dr. Warmack was one out of 13 U.S. leaders selected and the only one from an academic institution.[8] His research was centered around finding the best practices for reducing mass incarceration through education and rehabilitation.

• St. Louis Business Journal "Diverse Business Leader Honoree"[9]
• St. Louis American "Salute to Excellence" Young Leader Award
• Who's Who in Color "Most Intriguing People of 2015"[10]
• Delta State University "Young Alumnus Service Award"[11]
• St. Louis Business Journal '40 Under 40' Recipient[12]
• Delux Magazine Feature Cover[13]
• East St. Louis Branch of NAACP "Game Changer" Award Recipient[14]
• Delta State University Hall of Fame[15]
• HBCU Campaign Fund’s “Ten Most Dominant HBCU Leaders of 2018”[16]
• Delux Power 100 “Trailblazer Award” Recipient, December, 2017[17]
• Delta State University “Black Alumnus of the Year” Recipient, October 2016[11]