New Leader at Metco Program Linking City and Suburban Students

Milagros “Milly” Arbaje-Thomas was named chief executive of Metco, the Massachusetts program that sends 3,300 mostly African-American and Latino students from Boston and Springfield into predominantly white suburban schools. Arbaje-Thomas, who spent 15 years managing neighborhood antipoverty programs for Action for Boston Community Development, will succeed Jean McGjuire, who led Metco from 1973 to 2016. Metco was founded as the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity in 1966 to provide opportunities for children from racially imbalanced schools and children from isolated suburban schools to learn together in an integrated public school setting.

Johnson and Wales University (JWU) Chancellor John Bowen announced he’ll resign, effective Dec. 31, 2018. Bowen spent 44 years working for JWU, becoming president of the Providence Campus in 1997, and university president and chief executive officer in 2004, adding the title of chancellor in 2010.

David D. Grafton will become interim dean of Hartford Seminary for one year, starting in June, succeeding Scott Thumma, who will complete an 18-month term as interim dean and return to responsibilities as a faculty member, director of the Hartford Institute for Religion Research and director of the Doctor of Ministry program.  A new seminary president is expected to take office in 2019, replacing Heidi Hadsell, who is retiring.

Former University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Chancellor Divina Grossman was named president of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, succeeding Wanda Nitsch, who served as president for six years.