Florida Board of Governors confirms Michael Shannon as next UNF president – News4JAX

Florida Board of Governors confirms Michael Shannon as next UNF president  News4JAX

The Florida Board of Governors unanimously confirmed Michael P. Shannon as the eighth president of the University of North Florida on Wednesday. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Board of Governors unanimously confirmed Michael P. Shannon as the eighth president of the University of North Florida on Wednesday. Shannon, who currently serves as president of the University of North Georgia, was selected by the UNF Board of Trustees on Sept. 16 following a five-month national search. “I am deeply grateful for the confidence of the UNF Board of Trustees and Florida Board of Governors and for the opportunity to serve this great university,” Shannon said. “UNF is at an inflection point and has tremendous momentum.” Shannon said strengthening UNF’s ties to Jacksonville will be a priority.

“UNF should be a central part of Jacksonville’s growing ecosystem,” Shannon said. “We can do that by building relationships that create opportunities for our students, strengthen our faculty and research and make UNF an indispensable partner in Jacksonville’s future.” UNF reached record enrollment this fall with more than 18,900 students. The university also ranked No. 58 among the nation’s public colleges and universities in TIME’s inaugural America’s Best Colleges 2026-27 rankings, which consider factors including value, student success and return on investment. UNF Board of Trustees Chair Steve Moore said Shannon is the right leader