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byline: Jaclyn Barton

Hollins University names VP for diversity, equity and inclusion

Hollins University on Wednesday announced it has appointed Nakeshia N. Williams as the new vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion at the private women’s liberal arts university in Roanoke.

Prior to joining Hollins, Williams was an associate professor at North Carolina A&T State University, where she was an associate professor in the educator preparation department in the university’s College of Education. While there, she taught diversity courses to undergraduate and graduate students. She also served as a campus gender and equity faculty leader and an adviser to several student individuals.

Williams holds a doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in urban education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees from South Carolina State University.

“Hollins has endeavored to create a diverse and welcoming community, but we still have work to do to achieve inclusive excellence,” Hollins President Mary Dana Hinton said in a statement. “In her new role as VPDEI, Nakeshia will provide the leadership to ensure we are continuously striving for an improved and more inclusive and equitable campus environment. She will connect with students, faculty and staff to provide programming and create new opportunities for deep, sustained and institution-wide inclusive engagement and experiences. We look forward to her leadership in crafting practices and policies that foster belonging and are reflective of our loftiest ideals as expressed in our mission as an inclusive liberal arts community.”

Leidos completes $380M Gibbs & Cox acquisition

Reston-based Fortune 500 government contractor Leidos has completed its $380 million, all-cash acquisition of Arlington-based engineering and design firm Gibbs & Cox, Leidos announced Friday.

Gibbs & Cox, which specializes in naval architecture, marine engineering, management support and engineering consulting, has offices throughout the United States and Australia. It will operate as a wholly-owned Leidos subsidiary and will combine with Leidos’ maritime systems division.

First announced in February, the acquisition allows Leidos, which specializes in technology and engineering services for defense agencies, to provide engineering solutions to the U.S. Navy and foreign navies.

“We are delighted to welcome the Gibbs & Cox team to the Leidos family,” Leidos Chairman and CEO Roger Krone said in a statement. “Gibbs & Cox is widely regarded for developing the most talented and experienced naval designers in the world. We look forward to this new era of innovation while combining the best of both companies.”

“We are excited to join Leidos, whose employee culture and history of innovation strongly mirror our own legendary 91-year history,” Gibbs & Cox President and Chief Executive Chris Deegan said in a statement. “Gibbs & Cox will remain the nation’s largest independent provider of maritime services. The combination of our world-class naval architecture, design and engineering services with Leidos’ speed, security and scale will significantly enhance our combined offerings in the fast-growing maritime undersea, autonomous and cybersecurity segments. We look forward to mapping a new Gibbs & Cox with Leidos for the next 90 years.”

Leidos, which employs more than 37,000 employees, posted $12.3 billion in fiscal 2020 revenue.