Jaimie Hebert, Ph.D., has assumed his position as Georgia Southern University’s 13th president. Hebert not only brings to Georgia Southern extensive academic experience and leadership, but also an enthusiasm for Georgia Southern’s commitment to academic excellence.
 
“I am honored and proud to be the 13th president of Georgia Southern,” said Hebert. “As president, I will be working to ensure that our students and their professors are equipped to excel, and to continue the proud history of student success at Georgia Southern.”

In his first hundred days as president, Hebert is gathering information and ideas by asking students, alumni, faculty, staff and the community to complete a survey to share their thoughts on Georgia Southern, and identify what they feel should be his first priorities.

Prior to this role, he served as the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he spent the majority of his academic career. After joining the faculty there in 1999, Hebert was promoted to associate and full professor, served as chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and appointed dean of the College of Arts and Sciences before moving into the provost position in 2011.

During his tenure as provost, Hebert initiated academic organizational changes to increase effectiveness and efficiency. He led the establishment of the College of Fine Arts and Mass Communication, the School of Nursing, three new departments in the College of Criminal Justice and a new College of Health Sciences. Under his direction, Sam Houston State added several doctoral, master’s and undergraduate degrees, and he played an integral role in securing gifts of more than $35 million for academic programs.

Hebert served in a variety of leadership roles at Sam Houston State, including co-chair of the Strategic Enrollment Planning Committee and chair of the Faculty Evaluation Committee, Faculty Grievance Committee and Athletic Advisory Committee. He also served on a SACSCOC Compliance Committee, Faculty Senate, the Standing Faculty Tenure Committee and the Texas Success Initiative Committee.

Prior to joining Sam Houston State, he was an assistant professor of mathematical sciences at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. For three consecutive years, he was nominated as a Student Government Association Outstanding Teacher.

A native of Louisiana, Hebert earned his bachelor, master’s and Ph.D. degrees in statistics from the University of Louisiana – Lafayette and has worked extensively in statistical research. He has published in such journals as Communications in Statistics, Quality Engineering, Journal of Applied Probability, The American Statistician and Psychological Reports. He has received more than $2.5 million in external funding as principal investigator or co-principal investigator.  

The new Georgia Southern president was an active member of his community in Huntsville where he served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, on the board of directors for Huntsville Girls Softball and on the Huntsville/Walker Economic Development Committee. In addition, he regularly conducted workshops for new provosts sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.