JEREMY MARTIN

PRESIDENT, FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE, LAKELAND

Florida Southern College is a private liberal arts college with 70 undergraduate and graduate programs. It boasts the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world. Martin succeeded longtime President Anne Kerr in 2024, bringing with him a wealth of previous higher education leadership, including serving as assistant to the president and provost, associate provost and chief of staff at William & Mary College in Virginia. Before taking the helm of Florida Southern, he was William & Mary’s vice president for strategy and innovation, where he focused on student retention and academic performance.

EDUCATION: Houghton University (BS), Georgia State University (MS), William & Mary (MBA, Ph.D.)

FIRST JOB:
Clerk at Sears Paint and Hardware

DREAM ALTERNATE CAREER: I would be a high school or small college basketball coach, helping young people mature and develop through the lessons of sport.

SOMETHING SURPRISING: I had a pretty significant earthy-crunchy phase in my youth filled with hiking, rock climbing, etc. I considered taking a ‘gap year’ before that was a thing to hike the Appalachian Trail, but instead I went directly to college to continue my athletic career. The Trail still beckons as a bucket list item, and I enjoy reading the accounts of AT hikers.

NONPROFIT PASSION: My family and I are deeply committed to our church, which means we are passionate about supporting our local, regional and global communities. Church involvement allows us to serve a range of needs of those around us.