Georgia Board of Regents hires president for University of North Georgia

The University of North Georgia has its next president.

The Georgia Board of Regents on Thursday hired Michael P. Shannon, an administrator at Georgia Tech, for the top job at the University of North Georgia. The vote came a week after the board named Shannon its sole finalist for the position.

Shannon’s new job will start July 1.

ExploreFinalist chosen to be next University of North Georgia president

The retired U.S. Army officer is currently Georgia Tech’s interim executive vice president for administration and finance and interim chief business officer.

The University of North Georgia enrolls about 18,000 students at multiple campuses, including in Dahlonega. It’s also one of six senior military colleges in the nation.

“I’m thrilled to serve as the president of the University of North Georgia,” Shannon said in a written statement. “The history, the tradition, the impact and the prestige of UNG, 150 years in the making, are incredibly powerful.”

He succeeds Bonita Jacobs, who is retiring this month after serving as the university’s president for more than a decade.

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