The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG) on June 1 named Dr. Michael P. “Mike” Shannon president of the University of North Georgia (UNG), effective July 1.
Shannon, a retired U.S. Army officer, currently serves as interim executive vice president for Administration and Finance and interim chief business officer at Georgia Tech.
He will replace Dr. Bonita Jacobs, who has led UNG since 2011. Jacobs previously announced plans to retire this month after a long and distinguished career in public higher education.
“UNG plays a unique role within the system. It has multiple campuses offering everything from associate degrees to graduate-level programs, while at the same time serves as the state’s Military College of Georgia and one of only six senior military colleges in the nation,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. “With Mike, we have a leader who exemplifies USG’s mission of teaching, research and service given his deep experience in both the military and in higher education — the very kind of experience that will serve the uniqueness of UNG well. We’re grateful to Dr. Jacobs for her trailblazing leadership and look forward to welcoming Mike to his new role as president.”
Prior to his interim role, Shannon served as Georgia Tech’s vice president and deputy chief business officer.
“I’m thrilled to serve as the president of the University of North Georgia,” Shannon said. “The history, the tradition, the impact and the prestige of UNG, 150 years in the making, are incredibly powerful. Through its academic programs, UNG drives the region’s economy and supports Georgia’s emerging economy. As our state’s talent needs continue to increase, UNG will continue to be called upon.”
“As a career Army officer, I witnessed the national impact of UNG through its Senior Military College and the highly talented Army officers it produces,” he added. “Now, more than ever, UNG has critical roles to play. Our state and our nation are counting on UNG to continue to deliver. I look forward to teaming with the entire UNG community to make a difference for Georgia and America. Go Nighthawks!”
A strong military background
A native of New Jersey, Shannon is a first-generation college graduate and was commissioned through Army ROTC. He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and a master’s in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He also holds a master’s in health physics as well as a Ph.D. in nuclear and radiological engineering from Georgia Tech.
Shannon served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army for 20 years, retiring in 2015 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. After operational Army service as an Infantry and Signal Corps officer with assignments in the 82d Airborne Division, the 35th Signal Brigade (18th Airborne Corps) and the 2nd Infantry Division, he was selected to serve as a U.S. Army Nuclear and Counterproliferation officer.
For over 10 years, he provided leadership and technical and operational expertise to the U.S. Department of Defense as an expert in nuclear technology issues and later held leadership assignments with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency. Shannon also served at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point during two different leadership assignments, as an instructor and later as an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering. At West Point, he was actively engaged in teaching and research along with several activities in support of cadet and Army officer development.
In his role as a member of Georgia Tech’s executive leadership team, Shannon has been responsible for strategic leadership and operations including administrative functions such as human resources, finance and budget, information technology, facilities and infrastructure, capital planning, campus security and emergency response. He has also led several initiatives designed to build a student-centered focus in Administration and Finance and ensure Georgia Tech is an employer of first choice for veterans of the U.S. armed forces. He has served in numerous faculty, leadership and advisory roles, including as a research faculty member and principal investigator in the Advanced Concepts Laboratory at the Georgia Tech Research Institute.
He serves on numerous boards including the Georgia Tech Foundation, the Georgia Tech Athletic Association, Georgia Applied Technology Ventures Inc. and the Midtown Alliance. Shannon at Georgia Tech holds a faculty appointment as an adjunct assistant professor in the institution’s George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, where he teaches at the graduate level and conducts research in his areas of expertise.
Shannon continues to serve veterans’ causes, is an active member of his church and is a coach for multiple local youth sports programs. He and his wife, Jessica, have four children.
