Finalist Named for Georgia Regents University Presidency

Board of Regents Chair Neil Pruitt and University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby have announced a sole finalist for the Georgia Regents University (GRU) presidency, Dr. Brooks Keel.

Keel is currently the president of Georgia Southern University (GSU) in Statesboro. He began as the 12^th president of GSU in January 2010.

“It’s an honor to be considered for the role of President of Georgia Regents University,” said Keel. “I love the Eagle Nation and am proud of all we’ve accomplished together. If fortunate to be selected by the Board of Regents, this would be a unique opportunity to return to both of my alma maters that now comprise GRU.”

Georgia Southern is a regional university in the University System of Georgia that educates more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students at the university’s eight colleges.

Prior to joining Georgia Southern, Keel served as vice chancellor for research and economic development and professor of biological sciences at Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge).

As president of Georgia Southern, Keel has focused on expanding undergraduate and graduate education through research and community experience. He has also worked to raise the national profile of Georgia Southern academically and athletically.

Under his leadership, GSU has launched the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Information Technology and the Institute for Interdisciplinary STEM Education. GSU also manages the Herty Advances Materials Development Center, which was transferred to the institution by the state of Georgia.

At Georgia Southern, he also serves on the board of directors of the Georgia Southern University Research and Service Foundation, board of trustees of the Georgia Southern University Foundation and board of directors of the Georgia Southern University Housing Foundation.

Civically, Keel serves as the chair of the board of directors of the American Board of Bioanalysis. Some of the other boards he serves on include the Scientific Advisory Board of the AAB Proficiency Testing Program, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the board of trustees of the East Georgia Regional Medical Center.

Among other academic appointments, he has served as associate vice president for research, vice president of the research foundation and professor of biomedical sciences at Florida State University (Tallahassee).

Keel received a Bachelor of Science in biology/chemistry from Augusta College (now Georgia Regents University), a doctorate in reproductive endocrinology from the Medical College of Georgia (now Georgia Regents University) and completed post-doctoral work at the University of Texas Health Science Center (Houston) and University of South Dakota School of Medicine (Vermillion).

The Board of Regents will take action on the selection of the next president of GRU at a specially called board meeting at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2015.