cheek was a professor of new testament theology at virginia union university when he was named president of shaw university in 1963, at the age of 30. in 1968, he was appointed president of howard university. during cheek's twenty-year tenure at howard, the student population increased by 3,500 and the number of schools, colleges, research programs, full-time faculty and ph.d. programs increased dramatically. howard's budget increased from $43 million to $417 million as the federal appropriation went from $29 million to $178 million. he was named washingtonian of the year in 1980 and in 1983, while still serving as president of howard, cheek was awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the presidential medal of freedom.