Interim President of Morehouse College dies at age 55

William Taggart, the Interim President of Morehouse College has passed away at the age of 55, according to the Fulton County Medical Examiner.

The official cause of his death is not known at this time, and an autopsy will be conducted, according to the medical examiner.

The Morehouse College Board of Trustees has released the following statement regarding the sudden death of Interim President William J. "Bill" Taggart:

"We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Interim President William J. "Bill" Taggart, a beloved colleague, father and friend. For the past two years, Bill devoted himself wholeheartedly to Morehouse College. We are eternally grateful for his loyal support, counsel, and the leadership he provided to students, faculty, and alumni. Throughout his tenure, Bill had a positive impact on Morehouse College and the Greater Atlanta business community. He leaves behind a long legacy of compassion, integrity and devotion. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time."

Taggart took the Interim role on April 7, and he had been the Chief Operating Officer of Morehouse since 2015. He had more than 30 years of experience with Fortune 500 companies, higher education, boutique firms and federal government agencies.

Taggart, an Atlanta native, earned his BBA from Howard University and received MBA from Harvard Business School. He also holds an honorary doctorate in business from Morris Brown College.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed released a statement as well:

“I am saddened by the passing of Morehouse College Interim President William Taggart. Bill was a respected businessman, a devoted father and husband, and a civic leader dedicated to our city. He has served Morehouse College with distinction for the past two years, providing steady leadership for one of the nation’s best HBCUs and one of the most important educational institutions in the City of Atlanta. My thoughts and prayers are with Bill’s family and with the entire Morehouse community. For all his accomplishments, I know Bill had so much still to give. This is a loss we will feel for a generation."