On September 28, Chancellor to the University System of Georgia (USG) Sonny Perdue officially installed the fifth president of Georgia Highlands College (GHC), Dr. Mike Hobbs, Ph.D., during an investiture ceremony held in the Floyd Campus gym.
The event was attended by hundreds of members of the college and local community and was presided over by Regent Cade Joiner of the Board of Regents (BOR) of the USG. In addition, the ceremony featured greetings and speeches by GHC Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Randy Quick, Regent Lowery May and a special presentation by Anat Sulta-Dadon, Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States, and Rabbi Larry Sernovitz, CEO for Hillels of Georgia.
Since starting his role as president of GHC in the summer of 2022, Hobbs has advanced the college’s mission by helping to establish free in-state tuition for residents of Alabama, establishing the “Ready to Start” scholarship, expanding articulation agreements with other institutions, growing partnerships with local industry, establishing new competitive League Sports and much more.
“Today truly is one of the greatest days of my life,” Hobbs said to the group of community members, family and friends. “I am here today because I stood on the shoulders of leaders who came before me and am honored to serve this community.”
Leading up to the ceremony was a series of events titled GHC’s “Weeks of Service,” during which faculty and staff at GHC took on various initiatives ranging from a community health fair, school supply fundraisers, food assistance events, a STEM event for local elementary school students and more.
To raise money for scholarships, the GHC Foundation established the First Highlands Scholarship Gala on September 29, featuring wildly popular five-star nostalgia 80s rock band Guardians of the Jukebox.
About Dr. Mike Hobbs
Originally from Ensley, Ala., Hobbs earned an associate degree in applied science from Jefferson State and completed his bachelor of science in criminal and justice science from the University of Alabama – Birmingham (UAB). He also earned his master of arts in education supervision and leadership from UAB and completed his Ph.D. in community college leadership from Mississippi State University. He has also completed post-graduate coursework in economics from the University of Detroit Mercy.
Prior to joining Jefferson State, Hobbs served as coordinator of Admission Services at UAB.
Hobbs’ previous roles at Jefferson State include dean of Enrollment Services, director of Enrollment Services, coordinator of Transfer Advising and Dual Enrollment and professor of economics. In addition to teaching at Jefferson State, he has been an adjunct instructor in economics at Samford University in Birmingham and in higher education for the executive Ed.D. program at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.
While at Jefferson State, Hobbs spearheaded the enrollment efforts to bring three separate instructional sites to full campus status, established a mental health response team called “Jeff Care,” created a new scholarship program focused on student retention and drove student success efforts with new initiatives in counseling, career assessment, academic advising, veteran affairs and Americans with Disabilities Act services.
