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ORANGEBURG, SC (WACH) - The Board of Trustees of South Carolina State University voted to appoint Dr. Cynthia Warrick interim president.

Warrick currently serves as a senior fellow in the Howard University School of Pharmacy, Centre for Minority Health Services Research, according to a spokesperson with the university. Warrick will begin at SC State on July 1.

“We as trustees are excited that Dr. Cynthia Warrick will become our interim president,” said Dr. John H. Corbitt, acting chairman of the SC State University Board of Trustees. “Dr. Warrick is highly qualified and will bring new energy and creativity to SC State University,” he continued.

Warrick was interviewed along with two other finalists for the position last week. The university received 23 applications for the interim president opening.

“I have an entrepreneurial approach to higher education and I'm very secure in my abilities to raise funding to develop the types of programs needed to move South Carolina State University forward,” said Warrick.

In March, former school President George Cooper resigned amid concerns over financial mismanagement and possible criminal and ethics allegations. Cooper fired eight high level employees in February for not following university rules; but offered no further details. Since then, six Board of Trustee members have also resigned.