Howard University taps Phylicia Rashad as dean for reestablished College of Fine Arts

"I never saw myself as a dean," Rashad said, laughing, in her Variety interview. “But then, I've never thought of myself as many things that I've been. It's a privilege to be a part of reestablishing the College of Fine Arts, to engage with the administration, the faculty, the students, the alumni, as well as artists around the country."

The five-time Emmy nominee, who previously served as a lecturer and adjunct faculty member at Howard, added:

"At the time that I was teaching this masterclass at Howard, I was taping Cosby in New York. I would fly down every Friday after tape day to conduct what was supposed to be an hour-long class, which ended up sometimes being three hours because students wouldn’t leave. ... I marveled at not only their talent—because that would not be questioned, as they were accepted to Howard, and not at their intelligence—but I marveled at their fearlessness. I’ve never seen anything like it."

Rashad became a household name as lovable matriarch Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show from 1984 through 1992. She then played Ruth Lucas—again opposite the now-disgraced and imprisoned Bill Cosby—in Cosby from 1996 to 2000.

Currently, Rashad is starring in a recurring role on NBC's This Is Us. In a full-circle scenario, she plays Carol Clarke—mother to Beth Pearson, who is played by Rashad's former Howard student Susan Kelechi Watson.