It’s a new era at Savannah State University!
On April 1st, Dr. Jermaine Whirl made history as he officially began his tenure as president of Savannah State University (SSU), becoming the youngest president in HBCU history at just 39 years old, Black Enterprise reports. The milestone is powerful, Savannah State being the oldest public historically Black university in Georgia, but it’s the way the students welcomed him that truly set the tone for what’s to come.
In a moment that felt straight out of The Jennifer Hudson Show, students serenaded Dr. Whirl at a campus building with a surprise performance, giving him the ultimate HBCU welcome — one filled with joy, pride, and a sense of shared purpose.
“I am looking forward to returning to the beautiful city of Savannah and helping to shape the next generation of leaders in our area and region,” Whirl shared in a statement. “Working with our alumni and community partners, I think we can take an SSU education to the next level and provide more opportunities for the Tiger Nation.”
Whirl’s path to the presidency is rooted in decades of experience and impact. Prior to his historic appointment, he served as president of Augusta Technical College, where he increased student enrollment by more than 20% in three years. He also brokered transformational partnerships with local universities, Amazon, and the city of Augusta — work that earned him accolades like the Leadership Award from the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce.
His leadership journey includes faculty and administrative roles at South Carolina’s Greenville Technical College, Savannah Technical College, Georgia Southern University, and East Georgia State University. Now, he returns to Savannah with a vision: to elevate SSU as a doctoral-degree-granting institution, drive regional economic development, and secure the university a spot on U.S. News & World Report’s Top 25 HBCUs list by 2035.
But his goals don’t stop at rankings. Whirl is focused on making SSU the “anchor institution” of Savannah — a force for increased social mobility, innovation, and community connection.
His predecessor, interim president Cynthia Robinson Alexander, JD, offered a warm send-off and confident endorsement of the incoming leader. “Although I am sad to leave the SSU community, I am encouraged that I am leaving it in good hands,” she said. “I have had the opportunity to implement many changes that I think will lay a firm foundation for Dr. Whirl’s ambitious goals.”
With an Ed.D. in organizational leadership from Valdosta State University and a master’s in adult education from Armstrong State University, Dr. Whirl brings both academic excellence and visionary strategy to the table. But it’s the way he’s already been embraced by the campus community that says the most: Savannah State isn’t just welcoming a new president — they’re ushering in a new era.
And because of him, a new generation of HBCU leaders can see what’s possible.