Milton Wilson Award
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The Milton Wilson award is presented to a past Business School Dean in recognition of leadership, service and commitment to the academic profession. This award is given in honor of Dr. Milton Wilson.
Dr. Wilson was among the nation’s first 100 African American CPAs, the first in the state of Texas, and was one of the first seven African Americans to earn a doctoral degree in accounting. Dr. Wilsons’ vision and commitment to excellence in higher education at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) resulted in his leading two HBCUs to earn accreditation for the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the only dean to accomplish this feat. Dr. Wilson was also instrumental in the creation of the African American Accounting Doctoral Students Association (AAASA) which led to the PHD Project Doctoral Students Association.
At the time of his passing in 2003, Dr. Wilson was Dean Emeritus at Howard University.
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2025 Milton Award Recipient
Dr. Jo-Ann Rolle
Jo-Ann Rolle's Bio
Dr. Jo-Ann Rolle is the former Dean of the School of Business at Medgar Evers College, City University of New York (CUNY), USA, where she has led for the past ten years. Holding a Ph.D. in Economics from Howard University, Dr. Rolle has an impressive history of service, including roles in the U.S. Government and IBM prior to her academic tenure. She has held several prestigious positions: CEO of a university, CAO for seven years, and Business School Dean for thirteen years across two institutions. Her entrepreneurial impact is marked by the initiation of two centers and multiple entrepreneurship programs. Her teaching portfolio spans entrepreneurship and economics.
As a business consultant with extensive board experience, Dr. Rolle’s leadership and community service have earned her two Citations from Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and recognition as one of the Top 25 Influential African American Women in Business. Her expertise has taken her to platforms like the U.N. in NYC, delivering keynote speeches and workshops.
Dr. Rolle is a Price-Babson Symposium for Entrepreneurship Educators fellow, an Administrative Fellow at Harvard University, a Member of the Economic Club of New York, and a Fellow of the Centre for Business & Economic Research. Her scholarly contributions include numerous articles and publications on entrepreneurship and the future of work. Her editorial work brings together global scholars in “Sustaining the Future of Work and Entrepreneurship for the Underserved.” Additionally, “Tech-Enabled Futures: Elevating Education in Underserved Areas“ features as her latest book publication.
Currently, Dr. Rolle serves on the board of IE New York College, The Pierians Foundation Inc., and is a Past President of the National HBCU Business Deans Roundtable.
