July 13th, 2022 – 4:35 PM
Ethan Garrett – WRGA Digital News Editor & Video Reporter –
On Wednesday afternoon WRGA News joined a virtual ZOOM press conference with new Georgia Highlands College President Mike Hobbs.
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) named Dr. Mike Hobbs president of Georgia Highlands College (GHC), on July 1st, 2022.
Hobbs served as vice president for student affairs and athletic director at Jefferson State Community College in Birmingham, Ala.
Dr. Dana Nichols, GHC’s chief academic officer, and provost has served as the college’s interim president since President Don Green left in July 2021.
“Dr. Hobbs has a demonstrated ability to connect with today’s students and successfully support them toward graduation. That vision, combined with his experience in admissions and student affairs, will help more Georgia Highlands students achieve a college education and grow the college’s reach in Northwest Georgia,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. “Thanks to an already solid faculty and staff, Georgia Highlands has a bright future ahead. As we welcome Dr. Hobbs to Georgia, I also want to thank Dr. Nichols for her leadership and service in the interim.”
Hobbs has been Jefferson State’s vice president since 2018. During that time, he has played a key role in leading the college’s efforts to increase overall cohort graduation by 200%, student retention by 22%, and transfer-out rate to four-year schools by 20%. He also supported capital campaigns that generated more than $50 million for Jefferson State and the St. Clair County School Board. He assisted with the completion of two successful SACS-COC accreditation reaffirmations with a third in progress.
“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to serve the people of Northwest Georgia and the Georgia Highlands community,” Hobbs said. “The college’s student-focused degree programs, strong faculty, and partnerships with industry give it a dynamic foundation to build upon. I am grateful Chancellor Perdue and the Board of Regents have put their faith in me, and I can’t wait to join the charge by leading the college to even greater success.”