The Florida Board of Governors unanimously confirmed Michael P. Shannon on Wednesday as the eighth president of the University of North Florida (UNF), clearing the final major approval before he takes office Jan. 4.
Shannon was selected by the UNF Board of Trustees on Sept. 16 following a five-month national search that drew 152 applicants. He currently serves as president of the University of North Georgia, a public university with more than 20,000 students across five campuses.
Shannon said he plans to focus on strengthening the student experience, investing in faculty and staff and expanding UNF’s ties to Jacksonville.
A first-generation college graduate, Shannon earned degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Georgia Tech. He also served 20 years as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel after assignments that included the 82nd Airborne Division and teaching at West Point.
Before becoming president of the University of North Georgia in 2023, Shannon held several senior leadership positions at Georgia Tech, where he oversaw operations spanning finance, human resources, technology, facilities and campus security.
Shannon will take over as UNF reports a fall enrollment of more than 18,900 students.