Fort Valley State president Dr. Paul Jones to retire in June

Fort Valley State University president Dr. Paul Jones has announced his retirement from the institution after 10 years. He informed the campus community in a letter, indicating that he will depart Fort Valley State in June 2026.

“Taken together and viewed alongside more than 24 years of service within the University System of Georgia and nearly four decades in higher education, these moments led me to a thoughtful and prayerful decision. I will retire as President of Fort Valley State University at the end of June 2026,” Jones said in the letter.

Sonny Purdue, former Georgia Governor and Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, said of Jones, “President Paul Jones has dedicated more than 24 years to the University System of Georgia, including ten years leading one of the South’s top public Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Georgia’s only 1890 land-grant institution. Under his leadership, Fort Valley State University rose to number one in Georgia for social mobility and expanded its reach. Respected nationally as the former chair of the Council of 1890 University Presidents, President Jones has set Fort Valley State University up for long-term impact by establishing high-priority healthcare programs and strengthening its philanthropic efforts. He is a proud Wildcat who leaves a legacy of advancing the university’s historic mission. I am grateful for his service to the system and our students, and I wish him and his family the very best.”

Jones assumed the role of president of the institution in December 2015 following the departure of Dr. Ivelaw Griffith in April 2015. In his ten years as president of the institution, he has presided over immense growth. Under his leadership, Fort Valley State has been named the top public HBCU in Georgia by U.S. News & World Report for the eighth consecutive year. Enrollment grew to 3,177 students, a 9.4% year-over-year increase. The institution also introduced Nursing as a major in Fall 2023.

One of the hallmarks of Jones’s tenure at Fort Valley State was campus beautification and infrastructure growth. The university recently revealed the construction of Legacy Hall, an apartment-style residential hall located across the street from the main campus. Fort Valley State also reopened Bishop Hall in 2019 and renovated academic buildings such as Bywaters Hall and Founders Hall. A Greek Plaza was also built, honoring the Divine Nine fraternities and sororities that feature chapters on the campus.

The University System of Georgia will launch a search for the next president of Fort Valley State, with details forthcoming.

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