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Stacy Jones, a talented public service, development and communications expert, has been appointed vice president for public service and outreach at the University of Georgia after a nationwide search. Jones is presently the associate vice president and director of the UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel. She will commence her new position on July 1.
Reporting to S. Jack Hu, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, Jones will also be a member of the University Cabinet.
“With her extensive experience and passion for serving our state, I am eager to collaborate with Dr. Jones to build upon the outstanding work of our Public Service and Outreach faculty and staff and to further enhance the university’s national leadership in public service,” Hu expressed. “I am confident that she will deliver the vision and exceptional guidance necessary to elevate the university’s vital public service and outreach mission, while integrating teaching and research in innovative manners.”
Jones will take over from Jennifer Frum, who retired on December 1, 2024, after a distinguished three-decade career at UGA.
As vice president for public service and outreach, Jones will advocate for the university’s public service mission and manage eight PSO units: Archway Partnership, Carl Vinson Institute of Government, J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development, Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant, Office of Service-Learning, Small Business Development Center, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, and the UGA Center for Continuing Education & Hotel.
The University of Georgia is acknowledged as a national frontrunner in university outreach. In collaboration with UGA Cooperative Extension and various academic entities, PSO serves each county in Georgia, applying the university’s expertise to address the state’s evolving economic, social, and community needs. PSO initiatives encompass leadership training for communities, youth, and nonprofit organizations; support for economic development; and partnerships aimed at tackling significant community challenges identified by local residents. PSO has also formed alliances with national organizations, including a partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense to enhance the resilience of military installations and their nearby communities.
Over the last five years, PSO has fostered the establishment of 2,182 new businesses and 15,514 jobs. The activities of PSO units generated an economic impact of $505 million on the state in the fiscal year 2023.
“The impact of PSO faculty, staff, and partners is noticeable throughout Georgia as this remarkable team brings UGA to local communities — cultivating leaders, creating jobs and prosperity, and addressing the state’s most pressing issues,” Jones stated. “I’m privileged to continue leading that initiative in this new role. My full-time involvement with UGA PSO began in 2012, providing me with a front-row seat to this work, and now taking on the vice president role for public service and outreach opens new opportunities to amplify UGA’s impactful initiatives by engaging with community partners across our state.”
Jones has been with UGA in a range of significant leadership roles for over a decade. She initiated her career at UGA in 2012 as the associate director for governmental training in the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. Jones became the director of the Georgia Center in 2020 and was appointed associate vice president for public service and outreach in 2024. In her capacity as associate vice president, she manages PSO’s vital budget planning, strategic operations initiatives, professional development events, and awards and recognition.
Before joining the university, Jones thrived in crucial development roles in both the public and private sectors. She held the position of director of tourism and public affairs for the City of Conyers and the Georgia International Horse Park, served as executive director of Monroe’s Georgia Downtown Development Authority, and was chief development officer for Clearview Regional Medical Center and Walton Regional Medical Center in Monroe.
“I would like to congratulate Dr. Jones on her new role as vice president for public service and outreach,” President Jere W. Morehead remarked. “Throughout her career, Dr. Jones has exhibited a profound dedication to the people of Georgia and the economic vitality of communities across our state, and I believe she will continue to help amplify the university’s positive impact in the years ahead.”
Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in consumer journalism from UGA, a Master of Public Administration from Troy State University, and a doctorate in higher education management from UGA.
Jones has been president of the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences Alumni Association and chair of the Georgia 4-H State Advisory Council. Additionally, she is a recipient of the UGA Blue Key Young Alumnus Award and the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences Pacesetter Award.
“In addition to congratulating Dr. Jones, I join the university community in expressing gratitude to Dr. Matt Bishop for his unwavering leadership of PSO as interim vice president during this transition,” Hu noted. “I have enjoyed collaborating with Dr. Bishop throughout this period, and I sincerely appreciate all he has accomplished and is continuing to do for the university and the state.”
A 16-member search advisory committee chaired by Marisa Pagnattaro, vice president for instruction and senior vice provost for academic planning, played a crucial role in identifying finalists for the position. The committee was supported by the UGA Search Group.
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