小蝌蚪APP

Bonner Inaugurated as Fourth President

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Posted on September 24, 2022

Thomas Becnel

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Jo Bonner, the fourth president of the 小蝌蚪APP, celebrated his inauguration on Friday afternoon with good news and renewed confidence for the Flagship of the Gulf Coast.

The Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, Bonner announced, will be housed in a new state-of-the-art building, rather than the renovation and addition that had been planned. He also said that an anonymous donation will begin a campaign for a new performing arts hall on campus.

鈥淭his is not just a celebration of having a new president,鈥� he said at the Mitchell Center event. 鈥淚nstead, it is a celebration of all things USA, of those who came before us and of the significant contributions and lasting impact this University has had 鈥� and will have 鈥� on our region, state and nation for years and decades to come.鈥�

Bonner emphasized student recruitment and retention when he talked about a new feeling of energy and excitement on campus.

He pledged that South will be aggressive in pursuing students along the Gulf Coast, and will be committed to their success after they arrive. It has expanded the Start South and Pathways USA programs that help high school and community college students become Jaguars. It has added scholarships and launched a Second Year Program to help students continue on a path toward graduation. 

This fall, the University began to utilize new athletics buses to pick up high school students and bring them to campus for VIP tours.

鈥淟et me be clear,鈥� Bonner said. 鈥淲e are committed to growing our enrollment, and students must be given the support they need and every possible chance at success. If not, we will have failed them, and failure is not an option.鈥�

Bonner served as an Alabama congressman for a decade and later became chief of staff for Gov. Kay Ivey, who was in attendance Friday at the Mitchell Center. She told the assembly that she and Bonner grew up together in Camden, Alabama, where she rode horses with his older brother.

鈥淲hen I rode my quarter-horse, Jo was coming along on his Shetland pony,鈥� she said, as the audience laughed.  鈥淏ack then it was, 鈥楥ome along, Little Jo,鈥� and he couldn鈥檛 quite catch up with us. 

鈥淣ow, flash forward to today, and I know Jo is a proven, effective administrator and leader. While we certainly miss him in the governor鈥檚 office, I could not be more proud to witness my former chief of staff, my good friend, taking the helm at the 小蝌蚪APP.

鈥淛o is a bridgebuilder and he believes in the power of a team. I am absolutely confident that Jo will establish the 小蝌蚪APP as the flagship for higher education on the Gulf Coast.鈥�

鈥淚n hundreds of conversations with our students, faculty, staff and alumni, it is clear 鈥� just as it was among early supporters of this great University 鈥� that we want more, we are certain we can do more and we are ready to take that next big step. The 小蝌蚪APP is poised and ready to become the Flagship of the Gulf Coast.鈥�

As president of South, Bonner received a Presidential Medallion commissioned in 1998. He succeeds Dr. Tony Waldrop, 2014-2021, Gordon Moulton, 1998-2013, and Dr. Frederick Whiddon, 1963-1998.

鈥淣early 60 years ago,鈥� Bonner said, 鈥淒r. Frederick P. Whiddon stood in front of the only building that existed on this campus, the one that now bears his name, and dedicated the 小蝌蚪APP. ... It was the culmination of years of hard work and determination by Mobile鈥檚 leaders. Leaders who wanted more. Who were certain they could do more. Who were ready to take that next, big step to guarantee more.

鈥淭he plan was ambitious. It was bold. It took commitment. And 鈥� look around 鈥� it worked.鈥�

The week of Bonner鈥檚 inauguration featured a student showcase, food drives and a beautification project on campus, along with guest speaker Mike Abrashoff, who wrote about Navy leadership in 鈥淚t鈥檚 Your Ship鈥� for the Silver Endowed Presidential Lectureship.

On Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of University employees gathered on the lawn outside the Mitchell Center for an employee and retiree picnic.

Faculty and staff ate burgers and barbecue at tables under tents. There were cornhole games and a dunking booth. Bonner served potato salad in a buffet line wearing a red apron over his blue slacks and white shirt. He also met with USA Health employees at Java with Jo events earlier in the week. 

At the Inauguration Ceremony on Friday, speakers included Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., chancellor of Troy University. He congratulated Bonner and welcomed him to the academy, but offered a jovial warning in the words of Clark Kerr, a former president of the University of California:

鈥淭he university is but a series of individual entrepreneurs held together by a common grievance over parking.鈥�

Hawkins went on to predict great success for Bonner at the 小蝌蚪APP.

鈥淚鈥檝e had the pleasure of knowing you for many years,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou are the embodiment of servant leader. You characterize servant leadership better than anyone I know.鈥�

At an Inaugural Gala on Thursday night, speakers included Lenus Perkins, a Birmingham engineering executive and secretary of the USA Board of Trustees.

Years ago, he began hearing about the trend toward colleges and universities seeking 鈥渘ontraditional enterprise leaders.鈥� As someone from the business community, he thought that was intriguing. Then it all came home for South.  

鈥淟ast year, when the 小蝌蚪APP began its search for a new president, I thought back to that idea of a 鈥榥ontraditional enterprise leader,鈥欌�� Perkins said. 鈥淪omeone with chief executive experience. Someone who didn鈥檛 need an introduction. Someone like Jo Bonner.鈥�

On Friday afternoon, speaking from the dais, Bonner encouraged the crowd to chant 鈥淕o Jags.鈥� He raised his left hand to form the letter J, for Jaguars. He joked about school spirit after introducing several members of his family.

鈥淚n case anyone is trying to keep count,鈥� Bonner said, 鈥渢hat鈥檚 Jo, Janee, Jennifer Lee, Josiah Robins, III, Jim, two Judy鈥檚, plus my mother, Jean, and father, Jo Sr.  Even my mother-in-law, Janet, and father-in-law, Jim. We鈥檝e been getting our J鈥檚 up in our family for a long time!鈥�

Bonner said the University鈥檚 nearly 60 years have been filled with success and progress. The goal, he said, is to continue in that tradition as the region鈥檚 leading academic institution and healthcare provider.

鈥淚n hundreds of conversations with our students, faculty, staff and alumni, it is clear 鈥� just as it was among early supporters of this great University 鈥� that we want more, we are certain we can do more and we are ready to take that next big step.

鈥淭he 小蝌蚪APP is poised and ready to become the Flagship of the Gulf Coast.

鈥淚 realize this sounds ambitious. Our plans will, once again, require us to be bold. They will take commitment.  But being bold and determined is in our DNA.鈥�

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For photos of the Inauguration Ceremony, visit the University's and pages.  A video of President Jo Bonner's inaugural address is on .  

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