Nationwide — Meet Dr. Jermaine Whirl, who was appointed as the 15th president of Savannah State University (SSU) at 39 years old, becoming the youngest president in HBCU history. He brings years of leadership experience across Georgia and South Carolina.Before joining SSU, Whirl led Augusta Technical College (ATC) as president. During his time there, he boosted student enrollment and built partnerships with major organizations like Amazon, Piedmont Augusta, and Augusta University. He also held leadership roles at Georgia Southern University, East Georgia State University, Savannah Technical College, and Greenville Technical College.
“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 said, according to Savannah State’s web site. “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.”
Dr. Whirl plans to grow SSU’s academic programs and community impact. He aims to make SSU the largest HBCU in Georgia, offer doctoral degrees, and become a driving force for economic development in Savannah. By 2035, he hopes the school will be ranked among the top 25 HBCUs in the U.S.
His work has earned him several awards, including the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Award and a spot in the Georgia Titan 100 Hall of Fame. Georgia Trend also named him a Notable Georgian and one of the state’s top leaders under 40.
Whirl holds degrees in economics, organizational leadership, business, and education from Winthrop University, Valdosta State, Armstrong State (now part of Georgia Southern), and Charleston Southern. He and his wife, Marqueta, have two children, Madison and Jaylen.