About Michael P. Shannon, Ph.D.

Dr. Michael P. Shannon has led the University of North Georgia (UNG) – The Military College of Georgia as President since July 2023, driving a transformative vision to redefine higher education over his two and a half years in office, guided by a bold commitment to place “Students First. Always.” He has positioned UNG as a dynamic institution, breaking from tradition to address modern challenges, enhance student and community impact, and redefine the higher education value proposition. He passionately believes we are all created for purpose and students come to the University of North Georgia to be equipped to walk toward that purpose.

Since Dr. Shannon’s arrival, enrollment has grown by 12.6% reaching a record 20,317 students across UNG’s Power of Five (5 campuses in the north Georgia region) in Fall 2025 – the largest enrollment in UNG’s 152-year history. In addition to welcoming 4093 new undergraduate freshman Nighthawks, graduate students jumped 2.9%, dual enrollment grew 11%, and UNG’s Corps of Cadets – ‘America’s Corps’ grew 8.3%. This growth reflects Dr. Shannon’s focus not only on enrollment but also on retention, with returning students up 6.8%.

Under Dr. Shannon’s leadership, UNG launched the pioneering What Comes Next Hub, integrating campus resources into the community and Evergreen Learning to deliver lifelong learning for all ages, and introduced a $1,000 scholarship for dual-enrolled high school seniors. He has overseen campus expansions, including new four-year degrees in education, nursing, computer science, management, and international affairs at the Cumming Campus, and delivering bachelor’s degrees for the first time on UNG’s Blue Ridge Campus, strengthening UNG’s regional influence. In Fall 2025, the UNG Accelerated BSN program was ranked #5 in the country and Dr. Shannon made a bold commitment for UNG to deliver over 3000 nurses, 250 physical therapists and 200 mental health counselors over the next five years. UNG’s Corps of Cadets – ‘America’s Corps’ also has seen record growth in enrollment and performance. This year UNG delivered two of the #1 Army ROTC cadets in the nation (#1 Army active duty and #1 Army National Guard) as well as 21 Distinguished Military Students (DMS) and 37 Distinguished Military Graduates (DMG) – both the highest in the nation.

A key architect of UNG’s seven strategic “Big Bets,” Dr. Shannon has positioned the university as a leader in workforce development, launching the Institute for Peak Performance (IPP) and the Leadership Foundry to equip students to focus on leadership and human performance skills which will deliver cutting-edge impact in the areas of healthcare, education, business, agriculture, STEM, the arts, the humanities, and national security. Dr. Shannon’s strategy was strengthened by UNG securing $50M in state and philanthropy funding in 2025 to build the STEM Center of Excellence on the Dahlonega Campus which is a 50k square feet STEM leader development facility to be completed in late 2027. In Fall 2025, Dr. Shannon shared a transformative vision for the Dahlonega and Gainesville campuses which include significant capital investments over the next 10 years and leverages the work of local and county partners. Under his leadership, philanthropy continues to reach historic levels and 2024-2025 was the most successful season in North Georgia athletics history.

As a first-generation college graduate, a Ph.D. from Georgia Tech, and once told he’d never attend a university, Dr. Shannon’s passion to remove barriers fuels his leadership, a theme echoed in his State of the University addresses calling for disruption, accountability, and a student-centric future. A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel with 20 years of service, Dr. Shannon brings a servant-leader approach, honed through roles in the U.S. Army Infantry, the Signal Corps, and as a Counterproliferation operator in several Army units, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, at West Point and after retirement, in small business and as a faculty member, researcher, and executive at Georgia Tech. His vision is based on delivering on UNG’s Calling, Relevance, and Differentiation to ensure UNG delivers for Georgia and America. He is joined on his UNG journey by his best friend and amazing wife Jessica. A fellow veteran and teacher, Jessica is a passionate advocate for students, literacy, and families. Mike and Jessica are the proud parents of four amazing children and a very energetic dog.