Statement by AASCU President Charles L. Welch on the Passing of Edward B. Fort
Contact:
Kellee Edmonds
(202) 478-4662
edmondsk@aascu.org
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2026—The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) mourns the passing of Edward B. Fort, an extraordinary higher education leader and a co-founder of AASCU’s Millennium Leadership Initiative (MLI). Fort died Sunday, Aug. 9, at age 94.
From 1982 to 1999, Fort served as chancellor of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. He was later named chancellor emeritus. Before joining North Carolina A&T, Fort served as chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and as superintendent of public school systems in Michigan and California. He also held teaching positions at several universities, including the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.
Fort’s influence reached beyond his campuses. He served on the first President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities under President George H.W. Bush, and on the NASA Advisory Council, becoming its first Black member. Through MLI, Fort helped prepare hundreds of higher education leaders for executive roles. His efforts established a lasting impact that continues through each generation of MLI participants and alumni.
“Dr. Fort was a visionary leader who understood the importance of investing in the next generation of higher education leaders,” said AASCU President and CEO Charles L. Welch. “Through MLI, he helped create a powerful foundation for developing talented leaders. His legacy lives on through the many people he inspired, mentored, and prepared for service.”
AASCU offers its deepest condolences to Fort’s family, friends, colleagues, and the many leaders whose lives and careers were shaped by his work.
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The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association that represents the sector of over 500 regional public colleges, universities, and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to serving today’s students, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. These are institutions delivering America’s promise.
