 Frank Cody was the first president of Wayne University. Cody was superintendent of Detroit Public Schools (1919-1942) when the Detroit Board of Education united Detroit's several city colleges into the Colleges of the City of Detroit in 1933. Cody was appointed first president of the colleges while remaining superintendent of Detroit Public Schools. In 1934, the colleges were renamed Wayne University in honor of Revolutionary War hero, Anthony Wayne.
As president, Cody began Wayne State University's commitment to Detroit and its surrounding communities. Although Cody was not considered a scholar - indeed, he took pride in the fact that a newspaper once referred to him as "no intellectual highbrow" - he was a fine educator, a superb leader and a master politician. Most important, Cody firmly believed that schools and colleges should be community centers and he built the foundation of WSU upon this vision. Under his leadership, additional buildings, faculty and new schools such as law and social work were added to the university. Cody also developed strong ties to state and local governments.
Before he retired from the Detroit Public School system to become a Detroit city councilman (1942-1946), Cody placed Wayne University on a path of community and educational leadership. His vision and goals are still in place today.
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