President Kyle Marrero conferred as 14th president of Georgia Southern University

October 30, 2019

On Oct. 25, Georgia Southern University held an investiture ceremony in Hanner Fieldhouse on the Statesboro Campus to officially confer the duties and responsibilities of the Office of the President to Dr. Kyle Marrero, who became Georgia Southern’s 14th president on April 1. 

“We are here today to share in the time-honored tradition to invest a new president of Georgia Southern University,” said University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Steve W. Wrigley, Ph.D., to the crowd. “It is an awesome responsibility, yet leading a public university today is also a complex responsibility. It is a high calling to prepare students for civic responsibility and for the workforce. Georgia Southern, in embracing its mission, fosters the growth and development of this region, state and nation through the teaching, research and public service of its excellent faculty.  

As Chancellor, I believe in this institution and its mission. It is the primary role of the president to create and sustain an environment where the pursuit of knowledge can thrive. I believe Dr. Marrero is the right person at this time in the history of Georgia Southern University, and I’m excited about the future.”

After being formally vested by the Chancellor, Marrero stepped up to the podium.

“I am honored by your charge and trust in me and indebted by all those who have made this institution what it is today,” Marrero stated. “I continue to be amazed at the quality of people, the communities, the sheer breadth of what Georgia Southern has to offer and the future potential for us all.” 

This is a critical time for the institution as it defines its new path and regional presence post-consolidation, said Marrero. He cited the importance of the University’s Strategic Plan and its five structural pillars: student success, teaching and research, inclusive excellence, operational efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability and community engagement.

It is also important to invest in people, he noted.

“We are investing in our people — our faculty, our staff, our students, our community — with a purpose to transforms lives,” said Marrero. “We will remain relevant and aligned with the needs of the community, the region, the state and beyond. We will continue to hold dear to the commitment of understanding the human condition and a better understanding of our place in the world. To be relevant, we must prepare our students as global citizens.

I am so proud and honored to be your president. We have the power to impact others. Join me in bringing our aspirational vision and statement to life: People, purpose, action. Growing ourselves to grow others.” 

On the stage, USG Regent and Chair Don L. Waters also commended Marrero and his vision for Georgia Southern.

“Along with so many others, I am excited to see the new heights to which the University will soar under President Marrero’s leadership,” he stated. “On behalf of my Regents and everyone represented here, I congratulate you.”

Previously, Marrero was president of the University of West Georgia (UWG), where he consistently worked to honor the past while forging a new West Georgia. Under his guidance since 2013, the university built a culture of high performance and data-informed decision-making by focusing on a new strategic plan (2014-2020) and assessment methodology aligned with UWG’s new strategic imperatives: Student Success, Academic Success, Partnership Success and Operational Success.

Prior to his appointment at West Georgia, Marrero served as vice president for university advancement at the University of West Florida, overseeing the university’s integrated marketing communications efforts, fundraising, development and alumni relations’ activities. His background in the arts has taken him to 10 foreign countries as an artistic ambassador for the United States Embassies and 40 states as a singer and stage director. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in vocal performance from Bowling Green State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan. 

U.S. Rep. Rick W. Allen, Georgia Senator Jack Hill, Georgia House Rep. Jon Burns, USG Regent Laura Marsh, Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach, Statesboro Mayor Jonathan McCollar, Hinesville Mayor Allen Brown, Provost Carl L. Reiber, Ph.D., Faculty Senate President Helen Bland, Ph.D., Staff Council Chair Ava Edwards, Campus Director for Athletes in Action Matt Wise, Student Government Association President Juwan Smith, Alumni Association President Samantha Grovenstein-Deal, Georgia Southern Foundation Chair Michael R. Sanders and Augusta University President Brooks A. Keel, Ph.D., were also part of the investiture ceremony.

Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/R2 institution founded in 1906, offers 141 degree programs serving nearly 26,500 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.