A year after being asked by the Board of Trustees to delay his retirement, Troy University Chancellor Jack Hawkins, Jr., and the Board have agreed on a retirement date at the end of 2028.
Hawkins will continue in his role as chancellor through December 31, 2027. In his final year of service to TROY, Hawkins will transition to the role of advisor through the end of 2028.
The plan will allow for an effective transition to a new era for TROY following Hawkins’ transformational tenure as chief executive over nearly four decades, said Gibson Vance, president pro-tem of the TROY Board of Trustees.
“Over the past several decades, Troy University has reached unprecedented heights in service to the people of Alabama and the world,” Vance said. “ Hawkins’ leadership has been critical to that success. As we look toward the future, the Trustees will remain focused on continuing the success we have enjoyed while we celebrate and honor Hawkins’ extraordinary legacy of leadership and service.”
Hawkins is currently the longest serving CEO of a public university in the United States.
“I am proud of what my wife and I have been blessed to achieve at Troy University, and I’d like to emphasize that nothing is ever done without a team. We have been honored to work alongside the Board of Trustees and the many faculty, staff and students who make this University great,” Hawkins said. “This transition plan, developed in collaboration with the Board, will allow us to move toward retirement over the next three years while ensuring that TROY is well positioned for continued success in the decades to come.”
Jeff Coleman, chair of the TROY Foundation Board of Directors, said Hawkins has been an exemplary steward of the University’s resources while also championing growth and change.
“He has been a visionary servant-leader who has always put students first,” Coleman said. “He makes each student feel valued and has led with an unwavering commitment to the University’s motto — ‘Educate the Mind to Think, the Heart to Feel and the Body to Act.’ He is a tremendous man of faith and patriotism, and I am grateful for all that he and Mrs. Hawkins have accomplished together.”
Jack Weaver, president of the TROY Alumni Board, said Hawkins is deeply admired by TROY graduates around the world.
“On behalf of our entire alumni family, I want to express my profound respect and gratitude for the Chancellor’s remarkable leadership throughout the years,” Weaver said. “All 175,000 alumni worldwide admire him deeply — not only for his vision and integrity but also the lasting impact he has made on every corner of our University. While we are saddened to see him step away, we stand united during this transition period. The Alumni Association is fully committed to working hand-in-hand with the Chancellor and University leadership to ensure continuity and to help see his strategic goals through to completion before his tenure concludes. His legacy will endure, and we are honored to support this next chapter with the love and dedication he has always shown to us.”
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Hawkins was named chancellor of the Troy State University System on Sept. 1, 1989. More than $400 million has been invested in capital improvements under his administration, including new academic buildings on all of TROY’s Alabama campuses.
A Marine Corps combat veteran of the Vietnam War, Hawkins’ tenure has also been marked by dedicated service to military students. TROY has been repeatedly recognized for efforts to support military connected students including the Best for Vets designation from Military Times.
Hawkins served as the catalyst for the University’s evolution into an international institution, as TROY has attracted record numbers of students from other nations and established teaching sites around the world, the University shared. During his tenure, academic standards for admission have been elevated, new degree programs have been established across all academic colleges, and intercollegiate athletics have advanced to the highest level of NCAA competition.
