The University of North Florida Presidential Search Committee has announced Michael P. Shannon as the sole finalist for the university’s eighth president.
Shannon, who has served as the 18th president of the University of North Georgia since 2023, was selected following a five-month national search that yielded 152 applicants. According to a campus-wide email, the committee identified eight semifinalists.
The 11-member search committee, chaired by Board of Trustees member Jack Boyle, vetted candidates according to Florida Board of Governors regulations and state statutes.
“Dr. Shannon is a strong leader with an impressive background in higher education and military service,” Boyle said in a campus-wide email. “He is passionate about student success, community engagement and the future of UNF.”
Who is Michael Shannon?
Shannon’s background includes 20 years of service as a U.S. Army officer, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. His academic credentials include bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, as well as a master’s degree and Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
During his tenure at the University of North Georgia, which began in 2023, Shannon oversaw growth that saw enrollment surpass 20,000 students, according to a press release from UNF.
His leadership emphasized expanding academic programs, strengthening student retention, and investing in STEM, health sciences, and military education, according to the press release.
“UNF, Jacksonville and Northeast Florida are filled with extraordinary opportunity, and I am honored to be advanced for consideration as UNF’s next president,” Shannon said in the press release. “There is tremendous momentum here, and I am inspired by what UNF can become and the impact it can continue to make for its students and this region.”
Shannon is scheduled to participate in on-campus forums with faculty, staff, students and other stakeholders on Sept. 9 and 10, according to the press release from UNF.
Following these events, the Board of Trustees will interview Shannon and vote on his candidacy. If the board approves the selection, it remains subject to confirmation by the Florida Board of Governors.
”We congratulate President Shannon on being selected as a finalist,” said a UNG spokesperson in an email to Spinnaker. “At this point, President Shannon remains president of UNG. The UNF search process includes additional steps before any final appointment is made, and he will continue leading UNG as that process moves forward.”
Further details regarding the public forums will be updated on the UNF Presidential Search Committee website.
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