Our speaker today was Dr. Jermaine Whirl, the 15th President of Savannah State University. Before Dr. Whirl gave us an update on the school, President Kim Campbell reminded members of the upcoming August Social at Cancun Mexican and the August Service Project with Fight Dirty Tybee. Once all Rotary business items were discussed, Conni Reynolds introduced Dr. Whirl.
Dr. Whirl started at Savannah State University in April 2025. He gave us a brief overview of the many offerings Savannah State University (SSU) has for it's students as well as two new programs they are looking to add in the future. The current enrollment is 3300 students which includes a freshman class of 800! The two most popular majors are Business and Biology. He shared that SSU is the #1 producer of black marine scientist in the nation and that they are currently in the process of building a $6.5 million health and wellness center. He wants SSU to be in the top 25 HBCU.
One of his goals is for there to be more engagement between SSU and the greater Savannah community. 65% of graduates of SSU stay in the state of Georgia but only 25% stay in the Savannah region. His priority is to keep great talent here by finding strategic partnerships within the community. They will be hosting a public forum on September 12 from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM because they want your input and feedback about the school. He ended by saying the energy on campus is at an all time high and he encouraged us to come support the university by attending athletic events!