Edward B. Fort

Dr. Edward Bernard Fort was the eighth chancellor of N.C. A&T, serving from September 1981 to June 1999. He is now Chancellor Emeritus and Professor of Leadership Studies.

As chancellor, Dr. Fort guided the university to national prominence as a leader in engineering and technology education. During his administration, the university initiated more than 30 new academic programs and awarded its first Ph.D. degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering. More than $50 million in new construction was completed, including McNair Hall and a new Bluford Library, as well as nearly $30 million in renovations.  The university expanded its enrollment and increased the globalization of the campus.  Academic honors for the university included won two national first-place finishes in the Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival.

Dr. Fort was born in Detroit, Michigan. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in educational administration from Wayne State University. He received his doctorate in educational administration from the University of California in Berkeley.

The Edward B. Fort Interdisciplinary Research Center (IRC), completed in January 1997, was named in his honor.

Information from the N.C. A&T University Archives.