The Board of Regents of The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth on Monday made formal the appointment of Sylvia Trent-Adams as the school's seventh president.
She becomes the first Black woman to lead a health science center in Texas.
The Board of Regents selected her as the sole finalist for the position on Aug. 19. State law that requires university governing boards to name finalists for a presidency at least 21 days before making a permanent appointment.
Trent-Adams succeeds Michael Williams, who became chancellor of the UNT System on Jan. 1 and continued to serve as HSC’s president during the search process. Prior to being elevated to president, Trent-Adams served as HSC’s executive vice president and chief strategy officer.
“From the first time I set foot on the HSC campus in January 2020, I could feel the energy and tell that there was something different about this university,” Trent-Adams said in a statement. “It’s the desire to make a difference in people’s lives, and it’s the reason I came to HSC.
“From its founding, HSC set its sights on making a difference, and more than 50 years later, the HSC community continues to change the world every day through world-class research, teaching, patient care and service. What is special about HSC is that it does this with an uncommon mix of innovation and compassion. I look forward to working with faculty, students, staff, alumni and community members to build on this inspiring legacy and shape HSC’s next great chapter of working toward the public good.”
Engaging the university’s stakeholders and community members will be among Trent-Adams’ most pressing matters. To that end, she said that one of her first steps as president will be to embark upon a listening tour to learn from HSC faculty, staff and students, in addition to community stakeholders, about what the university’s priorities should be.
Areas of interest for Trent-Adams include expanding and bringing national attention to HSC’s cutting-edge research around health disparities, Alzheimer’s disease, eye disorders, forensic identification and more. She also is interested in expanding HSC’s clinical capabilities and academic programs; broadening the university’s relationships with the community in whole health and other initiatives; and increasing fundraising and philanthropic pursuits.
The national search for a new president took eight months, and the search committee was co-chaired by Dan Feehan, member of the UNT System Board of Regents and chairman of FirstCash Inc., and Brian Newby, managing partner of Cantey Hanger LLP. Both campus representatives and community members served on the Presidential Search Committee. The university also solicited feedback from HSC students, faculty and staff, and community members, whose input was crucial in guiding the committee’s development of the job criteria.
“Dr. Sylvia Trent-Adams is an extraordinarily accomplished academic health care leader,” said Williams. “We are extremely fortunate to have found someone with her unique vision, integrity and compassion to assume the leadership at HSC. Time and time again, she has demonstrated the skills and imagination needed to be an inspirational leader, confront the challenges of our time and guide HSC during this period of great opportunity.”
HSC’s president reports to the UNT System chancellor and is the CEO of the university. The president is responsible for the overall leadership and management of all campus programs, services and activities in every area of the university, including academic affairs, administration, strategic planning, student services, financial management, external relations and fundraising.
The president leads, champions and leverages the critical and unique role of the campus in advancing HSC’s academic, research and outreach mission, and in supporting the university’s reputation as a distinguished academic health science center. The president acts as a catalyst for creativity, innovation and progress.
“It is an immense honor to lead HSC, one of the nation’s most forward-thinking health science centers,” Trent-Adams said. “I am humbled and grateful, but not daunted, by the task ahead. I am attracted by challenges and look forward to this wonderful opportunity.”
