Dr. Brendan Kelly Begins Tenure as New President of the Arkansas State University System

LITTLE ROCK – Today, Dr. Brendan Kelly officially began his tenure as the third president of the Arkansas State University System (ASU System).

The ASU System Board of Trustees voted to hire Kelly, who has served as president of the University of West Georgia since 2020, on June 5. He succeeds interim president Dr. Robin Myers and the system's second president, Dr. Chuck Welch, who left the system in January after nearly 13 years to become president and CEO of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) in Washington, D.C.

"The ASU System is open for business and will grow the state's economy by improving lives and opportunities – starting with students and their families," Kelly said. "I firmly believe that if we do what is right for students and then make it work for the institution, we will never go wrong. The energy that exists in most communities comes from institutions like the ones we represent. I'm thrilled that the ASU System includes not only seven excellent campuses but also some wonderful communities across Arkansas."

"We have the opportunity to move communities forward, looking to the future to ensure the ASU System is ready to meet and strive to expand the impact of higher education across Arkansas and beyond," he added. "From cutting-edge research initiatives to skilled workforce training, I'm confident the ASU System has the capacity to meet the needs of our rapidly growing economy."

Kelly said the ASU System role appealed to him "because it represents one of the few roles in the United States where one has the ability to influence and shape higher education across an entire state. I am grateful to every member of the ASU Board of Trustees for entrusting me to lead a university system capable of providing access to high-quality higher education for the majority of Arkansans and many others beyond the state's borders. This is an opportunity to support the economic development of the entire state."

Before joining UWG, Kelly served as provost at the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg and Greenville from 2017-2020 and was appointed interim chancellor of the University of South Carolina in 2019. He served as vice president for university advancement and president of the UWF Foundation, Inc., at the University of West Florida in Pensacola from 2013-2017, where he led a successful $50 million fundraising campaign. His teaching career spanned 13 years in Florida and Michigan in the field of communication arts.

His focus at UWG has been on creative programming both inside and outside the classroom, with an emphasis on producing valuable life and career outcomes for students, along with a commitment to launching and advancing students' careers after graduation. He has served on the boards of numerous regional and state economic development organizations, as well as the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education.

While leading and implementing the institution's "Becoming UWG" Strategic Plan, Kelly guided UWG to record-breaking fundraising efforts, including the largest gift in the institution's history, and oversaw enrollment growth. UWG's campuses in Carrollton, Newnan and Douglasville enrolled a total of 12,769 students and are expected to exceed 14,000 this fall. The university's spring enrollment rate was 11.4% higher than the previous year, while graduate enrollment surged 41%. UWG recently completed its transition from the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference to the Division I Atlantic Sun Conference.

"We are thrilled that Dr. Kelly has officially begun his role leading the ASU System," Board Chair Christy Clark said. "I know he is eager to get to work, and our board is looking forward to supporting him and his vision for the System and our campuses. We anticipate a smooth transition as he leads our experienced System team and our chancellors."

Trustee Price Gardner, who chaired the search on behalf of the board, said: "We are excited to welcome Brendan Kelly as our new System president. We believe Dr. Kelly's experience and outstanding track record throughout his career will continue to drive the System's growth and lead us in addressing the ever-changing challenges facing higher education while keeping a focus on student success. He has been described as a visionary, a talented communicator, and someone capable of elevating an institution's reputation and advancing its mission. Our board looks forward to the opportunity to work with him."

Kelly is a member of the AASCU board of directors and was named one of "Georgia's Most Influential" by Georgia Trend magazine and James Magazine. He has been active in the National Forensic Association (NFA) and speech/debate competitions for many years and has been honored as an inductee into the NFA Hall of Fame and recipient of the NFA's Eddie Myers Distinguished Service Award.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations and a Master of Arts degree in communication from Eastern Michigan University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in rhetoric and political communication from Wayne State University.

Kelly and his wife, Dr. Tressa Kelly, have three children – Bree Luckey (married to Drew Luckey), Liam and Kieran.

About the ASU System

The Arkansas State University System, headquartered in Little Rock, serves more than 35,000 students annually at campuses in Arkansas and Queretaro, Mexico, and online worldwide. The system includes Arkansas State University, a four-year Carnegie R2 research institution in Jonesboro with degree-granting centers at ASU-Beebe, ASU-Mountain Home and ASU Mid-South in West Memphis.