David Shaw

Provost and Executive Vice President

Dear Students and Colleagues, 
 
After a successful national search that yielded three exemplary finalists, I am pleased to announce that Dr. David Shaw will serve Mississippi State University as our new Provost and Executive Vice President. We expect him to begin July 1, pending formal approval by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. 
 
I very much appreciate the leadership of Mr. Don Zant, who chaired our search committee, and the willingness of all the committee members to invest their time and energy in helping to identify the best possible candidates. I also appreciate all of you who met with our finalists, attended their public forums or watched online, and completed feedback forms. 
 
I wish to thank Dr. Judy Bonner for her many contributions as a member of the Mississippi State family. I will be forever grateful for her leadership and for her friendship. Please join me in wishing her the very best as she begins a new chapter of her life. 
 
Moving forward, I am confident that Dr. Shaw's passion for academic excellence and student success, as well as his deep commitment to the many diverse communities we serve, will enable us to meet the challenges of a changing higher education landscape. I also believe his leadership and vision will enhance our ability to take advantage of new, exciting opportunities to fulfill our mission of teaching, research, and service. 
 
I invite you to read the university's news release at 
https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Mark E. Keenum 
President