Meet Angela
Dr. Angela Franklin is the 15th President of Des Moines University, the first black woman in America to be appointed President of a freestaniong health sciences or medical university, and a speaker & author on leadership, self-doubt, and conflict management.
My Unconventional Journey
McCormick, South Carolina
One of my earliest memories as a child is going to our local physician and having to sit on the “colored” side of the waiting room. I was born in Greenwood, South Carolina and raised in McCormick, where the Jim Crow South was still hanging on.
My sister Maria and I were the first African American girls to integrate into McCormick Elementary School, where I began 4th grade as the only black student in my class. It was uncomfortable initially, but I quickly adjusted. This was important to my mother, a school teacher, who insisted I not merely keep up, but excel in our new school. I had to prove I belonged, that I was worthy of the opportunity.
And I’ve been proving myself ever since.
The Path to Becoming
By the time I graduated from Emory University with my Ph.D., I was a 25-year-old married woman with a toddler. My degree was in clinical psychology, but I was unsure if this was the right path for me.
I always remained open to opportunities, and before long one presented itself: teaching on the faculty at Morehouse School of Medicine—a relatively new, freestanding medical school founded in 1975. It was 1986 and MSM had just graduated its second class of MD students. I never imagined teaching, especially at the college level. Tentatively and with the unwavering support of my husband, Thaddeus, I took the position.
Little did I know at the time that saying “yes” to Morehouse School of Medicine would be the foundation that would define my entire career trajectory. My plan was to stay at MSM for five years, which became ten, and eventually fifteen. At this point, a mentor suggested that I was destined for something greater and that I consider the American Council on Education Fellows Program, a path to leadership in higher education.
It was during this period that I found my purpose, my true calling, and realized that a college presidency was in my future. But where?
Des Moines University
The interview process for senior-level administrators in higher education is fairly standard across most organizations. But there was nothing standard about my candidacy for this role. I was, let’s say, an unlikely choice.
In late December 2010 I found myself in a hotel room, back from the 2nd round of interviews for a job I knew I wasn’t going to get: President of Des Moines University. My competition was, one, the current interim president, and two, and a former mayor.
And why did I ever think they would choose me? I’m not a physician, like most medical university presidents are. I’m not a local politician, like their previous president. And, unlike the fourteen people that held this position so far, I’m a woman. A black woman, from the deep south, in Iowa.
But then the phone rings, and it’s the Chairman of the Board, who first asks me, “Are you sitting down?,” then tells me the board has voted unanimously to offer me the job. I’m ecstatic, and not a little surprised when I accept it, but I’m also a little disappointed I didn’t give myself more credit. Once again, I had to prove I was worthy. To the town, to the university, and most importantly, to myself.
I’m now in my 15th year as President of DMU. Since we more than doubled the goal of DMU’s largest fundraising campaign, raising $57.1 million. I led the largest transformation in Des Moines University’s history, including the creation of a new 88-acre campus completed on time and on budget through the pandemic. And I am honored to have been inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame.
The journey of a leader is one of discovering, recognizing, and eventually owning one’s worth. It has been the blessing of my life, and it is now my privilege to share that message with women and leaders around the country.
Biographical Summary
Angela L. Walker Franklin
Angela L. Walker Franklin, who became Des Moines University’s 15th president in the spring of 2011, is a native of McCormick, South Carolina and a Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude graduate of Furman University. A licensed clinical psychologist, she completed her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Emory University, followed by a year-long clinical internship at Grady Memorial Hospital.
Angela L. Walker Franklin has worked in higher education for more than 25 years. Prior to her arrival at DMU, she held faculty and administrative positions at both Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia and Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.
Her many honors and awards include the 2014 Women of Influence Award from the Des Moines Business Record, the 2017 Training Advisory Committee Special Award from the American Psychological Association, and the 2022 Dale S. Dodson Award from the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. She has also received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Furman University, was inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame in 2022, and received Furman University's Carl F. Kohrt Distinguished Alumni Award in February 2024. Additional recognitions include the Council for Advancement and Support of Education Executive Leadership Award in April 2024, the Business Record Women of Influence Alum of the Year Award in October 2025, and the Insight Into Academia Trailblazer in Higher Education Award in January 2026.
In 2019, Dr. Franklin worked with her team to establish institutional goals and priorities for the future by launching the $50 million Purple & Proud fundraising campaign. The campaign surpassed its goal by raising over $57 million by the summer of 2023, making it the most extensive fundraising campaign in the university’s history. In addition, Dr. Franklin saw her transformative vision to design an entirely new campus on 88 acres of land in West Des Moines come to fruition in the summer of 2023, coinciding with the 125th anniversary of the university’s founding.
Dr. Franklin is actively involved in the Des Moines Community, serving on the boards of Bankers Trust, The Greater Des Moines Partnership and UnityPoint Health.
Dr. Franklin is an inspirational leader and author of her 2014 published memoir, “An Unconventional Journey... An Unlikely Choice,” which chronicles her journey to the college presidency and lessons learned in leadership. In 2024, she published a second book, “Leadership From the Ground Up,” which offers insights into her leadership experiences at DMU and practical lessons for aspiring leaders. Dr. Franklin has been featured in several local and national publications and speaks locally and around the country on the topics of women leaders and transformative leadership. She was most recently featured among sixteen speakers at a University of Northern Iowa TEDx event where she gave a talk on How to call out the Elephant in the Room.
Noteworthy Accomplishments
First African American woman in the United States appointed president of a freestanding medical and health sciences university.
Led the largest transformation in Des Moines University’s history, including the creation of a new 88-acre campus completed on time and on budget through the pandemic.
More than doubled the goal of DMU’s largest fundraising campaign, raising $57.1 million.
Oversaw major growth in DMU’s academic programs, research capabilities, and national standing.
Inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame.
Recognized with major leadership honors from CASE, AACOM, Furman University, and the State of Iowa.
Watch Dr. Franklin’s
TEDx Talk
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