Dr. Jermaine Whirl previously led Augusta Technical College, and held numerous administrative and faculty roles at other public institutions.
Savannah State University has welcomed its new president, Dr. Jermaine Whirl, to lead the HBCU.
“I am looking forward to returning to the beautiful city of Savannah and helping to shape the next generation of leaders in our area and region,” Whirl said in a statement on the school’s website. “Working with our alumni and community partners, I think we can take an SSU education to the next level and provide more opportunities for the Tiger nation.”
His previous experience also extends to roles at South Carolina’s Greenville Technical College (GTC), Georgia’s Savannah Technical College (STC), Georgia Southern University (GSU), and East Georgia State University (EGSU).
His plans for SSU include making it a doctoral-degree-granting institution. Moreover, he aims to make SSU a “primary driver” of economic development and “increased social mobility” for the greater Savannah region.
He reportedly reigns as the youngest president in HBCU history at 39 years old. The school community celebrated his new start with a serenade, made popular by The Jennifer Hudson Show, at a campus building.
Whirl replaces SSU’s interim president, President Cynthia Robinson Alexander, JD. Robinson Alexander expressed her well wishes to Whirl ahead of the leadership transition.
“As interim president for the last 21 months, I have had the opportunity to implement many changes that I think will lay a firm foundation for Dr. Whirl’s ambitious goals,” said Robinson Alexander. “Although I am sad to leave the SSU community, I am encouraged that I am leaving it in good hands.”
His years-long achievement resulted in numerous awards, including the Leadership Award from the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce. With a master’s degree in adult education and community leadership from Armstrong State University (now GSU) and an Ed.D. in organizational leadership from Valdosta State University, he brings abundant knowledge and expertise to launch a new era at SSU.
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Source: Black Enterprise
