The State Board of Regents on Friday unanimously selected a new president for Fort Valley Sate University.

Ivelaw Griffith, the provost at York College of the City University of New York, will begin July 22.

He was the sole finalist for the job and will be the college’s ninth president.

The current president, Larry Rivers, will step down June 30.

Kimberly Ballard-Washington will serve as interim president until Griffith arrives on campus. She serves as the assistant vice chancellor for legal affairs for the University System of Georgia.

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State Rep. Mandi Ballinger, R-Canton — pictured being sworn in on the first day of the legislative session in January — was an advocate for children and survivors of domestic violence since she began serving in the State House of Representatives in 2012. (Arvin Temkar/AJC 2025)

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A native of Columbus and a fine arts graduate of Clark Atlanta, Amy Sherald was chosen as the official portrait artist of former first lady Michelle Obama. On the same week that the portrait was unveiled at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, it was also announced that Sherald was awarded the High Museum's 2018 David C. Driskell Prize. (Andrew Harnik/AP)

Credit: Andrew Harnik