Contact: Allison Matthews
The Marshall University Board of Governors today named Mississippi State University Provost and Executive Vice President Jerome A. “Jerry” Gilbert the 37th president of Marshall University.
Gilbert will assume the Marshall presidency in January. MSU responded to the announcement today [Oct. 20] with congratulations and a debt of gratitude to the MSU alumnus who has long served his alma mater in faculty and administrative roles.
MSU President Mark E. Keenum said, “Marshall University has made an extremely wise choice in selecting Dr. Jerry Gilbert as their next president. Dr. Gilbert has been an extraordinarily effective executive vice president and provost at Mississippi State, and I know he will take that same thoughtful, deliberate and courageous leadership style to Marshall.”
Keenum continued, “While his departure leaves a void in our administration, I’m happy for Jerry and Leigh to have the opportunity to lead a great university. Jerry is an alumnus of MSU and hence will always remain a part of the Bulldog family. All of us at MSU extend our gratitude to Jerry for his distinguished service to his alma mater and wish the Gilberts every success and happiness in this new and exciting phase in their lives.”
Earlier this month, the Marshall Presidential Search Committee announced Gilbert as one of three finalists for the position following a national search.
“What an honor it is to be asked to lead Marshall University,” said Gilbert. “I’ve been so impressed by everything I’ve learned and seen. This is such a wonderful opportunity. All the pieces are in place—fantastic facilities and great academic programs. We are in a position to be able to take Marshall University to another level of excellence and really advance as a major university.
“It is difficult to express the overwhelming excitement that Leigh and I have in looking forward to being at Marshall and becoming part of the Huntington community. I also want to express my sincere appreciation to the Board of Governors for the opportunity to serve Marshall.”
Michael G. Sellards, chairman of the Board of Governors, said, “This is an exciting new chapter for Marshall University and the board is thrilled to welcome Jerry and Leigh to our community and our university. We have a world of opportunity ahead of us and our new president has the vision and experience to lead us there. Today is a great day in the history of Marshall University.”
Gilbert has served in his current role since 2010, after serving six years as associate provost and associate vice president. Previous roles include head of MSU’s Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering and coordinator for the biomedical engineering graduate program in the Bagley College of Engineering.
“As an alumnus of Mississippi State, I will always cherish my relationship to my alma mater and remain very grateful for the opportunities afforded me and my family here,” said Gilbert. “We will leave deep friendships and great memories behind in Starkville, but we’re very anxious to meet new friends and new challenges at Marshall.”
Gilbert attained the rank of professor in 1993 after joining the MSU faculty in 1988 as associate professor. From 1989-2005, he also served as adjunct clinical assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery (research) for the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Since 2005, he has been a research affiliate with the Institute of Neurocognitive Science and Technology at MSU. He was among the first class of MSU honors faculty in the Shackouls Honors College.
Before joining MSU, he held previous academic appointments at Duke, North Carolina State University, and University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) School of Medicine.
In 2014, Gilbert was elected to the inaugural board of directors of the Association of Chief Academic Officers. A member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, he also was inducted in the inaugural class of Fellows of the Institute of Biological Engineering, an organization which he also served as president in 2005.
Gilbert earned a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering from Mississippi State and a doctorate in biomedical engineering from Duke University. He and his wife, Leigh, have three children – Peter, Sallie and Caroline, all graduates of Mississippi State. Their daughter-in-law Katherine Cleveland Gilbert also graduated from MSU.
MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.