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Wiggins Today
By the People, for the People
Hazlehurst Native Corey Wiggins Named Next Tougaloo College President
Wiggins will be the 15th president in the school's 157-year history, succeeding Donzell Lee.
Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:07pm
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Tougaloo College's Board of Trustees has appointed Corey Wiggins, a Hazlehurst native and federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority, to be the school's next president, effective July 1. Wiggins will succeed Donzell Lee as the 15th president in Tougaloo's 157-year history.
Why it matters
Tougaloo College is one of Mississippi's historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and has played a significant role in the state's civil rights movement. The selection of Wiggins, an experienced leader in economic development and public policy, signals the college's commitment to academic excellence and community impact.
The details
Corey Wiggins currently serves as the federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority, an independent federal agency that supports economic development across 255 counties and parishes in eight states throughout the Mississippi Delta and Alabama Black Belt. Prior to this role, Wiggins has held faculty appointments at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson State University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he taught courses on health policy, strategic management, and the social determinants of health.
- Corey Wiggins will assume the role of Tougaloo College president on July 1, 2026.
- Tougaloo College's Board of Trustees appointed Wiggins as president on March 13, 2026, after a yearlong national search.
The players
Corey Wiggins
A Hazlehurst native who will be the 15th president of Tougaloo College, succeeding Donzell Lee. Wiggins currently serves as the federal co-chair of the Delta Regional Authority, an independent federal agency that supports economic development in the Mississippi Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions.
Donzell Lee
The outgoing president of Tougaloo College, who is being succeeded by Corey Wiggins.
Blondean Y. Davis
The chair of Tougaloo College's Board of Trustees, which appointed Corey Wiggins as the school's next president.
What they’re saying
“Corey Wiggins is a visionary leader whose commitment to academic excellence, student success and institutional integrity aligns deeply with the historic mission of Tougaloo College.”
— Blondean Y. Davis, Chair, Tougaloo College Board of Trustees
What’s next
Corey Wiggins will officially assume the role of Tougaloo College president on July 1, 2026, succeeding Donzell Lee.
The takeaway
The appointment of Corey Wiggins, an experienced leader in economic development and public policy, signals Tougaloo College's commitment to academic excellence and community impact as one of Mississippi's historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
