James Jan-Feb 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 27
By any objective measure, the extraordinary journey and accomplishments of Augusta University President Dr. Brooks Keel have shaped
the institution-- located in the heart
of Georgia’s second largest city— into
a powerhouse of education, research
and healthcare.
Under the nine-year guidance of
Keel, the university has expanded
its academic offerings and campus
infrastructure with the creation of a
new school— the School of Computer
and Cyber Sciences, as well as the
Augusta University Cyber Institute.
The university has also expanded
campus housing by opening its
first on-campus undergraduate and
graduate residence halls, increased
undergraduate enrollment by more
than 22 percent, and developed a
comprehensive plan to relocate the
university’s College of Science and
Mathematics to a new facility on the
Health Sciences Campus.
uate of both of Augusta University’s
legacy institutions, Keel worked for
20 years as a professor and researcher before moving into administration.
Keel came to Augusta University
from Georgia Southern University,
where he served as the university’s
12th president. Prior to that, he
served in the top ranks of academia,
research and economic development in successive appointments
at Louisiana State University, the
University of Kansas-Wichita and
Florida State University.
the first of what would become eight
straight years of enrollment growth
averaging 3 percent per year and
totaling 25 percent since 2015. Funding to the university from the National Institutes of Health also increased
37 percent during that time, and the
university’s economic impact on the
state has grown by nearly $1 billion,
a 48 percent increase since Keel’s
appointment.
A COMMUNITY IN TURMOIL
Keel arrived at Augusta University in 2015 during a critical time. In
2013, the two legacy institutions—
then known as Georgia Health
Sciences University and Augusta
State University— merged to become “Georgia Regents University”
(so dubbed by the University System Board of Regents). But after a
noisy community-wide uproar over
THE EARLY YEARS
dropping the name “Augusta” from
Dr. Keel’s journey to leadership at the institution, the “Regents” name
Augusta University is a testament to was thrown into the trash can.
his passion for education and dediThe revolt forced the Regents to
cation to making a difference— and
back down and the school officially
is the perfect example of someone
became Augusta University in 2015
who has “completed the circle.” Born following Keel’s appointment.
and raised in Georgia, he earned his
One of the first opportunities
bachelor’s degree in biology and
Keel faced in his new role was
chemistry from Augusta College in
the transition and branding of the
1978, and a doctorate in reproducuniversity’s new name. As he led a
tive endocrinology from the Medical comprehensive rebranding campaign
College of Georgia in 1982. A gradfor Augusta, the university achieved
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