NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Former Norfolk State University President Dr. Marie McDemmond passed away on Wednesday, July 27. NSU officials confirmed her death. She was 76 years old.

Dr. McDemmond was the first woman to lead the university, serving in that role from 1997 until 2005. She was also the first African American woman to serve as president of any four-year public college in Virginia.

She increased the school’s endowment by 65% and grew NSU’s technology programs.

In 2018, WAVY covered NSU’s dedication of a new cybersecurity complex named after McDemmond.

Read her full NSU bio at this link.