Announcement • July 1, 2025
Dear Colleagues,
As I begin my role today as interim president of East Georgia State College, I want to first express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. David Schecter for his leadership, his friendship, and for his steady hand during this time of transition. I also want to thank the many faculty and staff across the college who have continued to lead, support, and serve our students with such dedication and care. It is both a privilege and an honor to join you in this new chapter for East Georgia. I am deeply thankful for the opportunity to work alongside you, our dedicated faculty and staff, and I am excited for what we can achieve together.
We’ve made strong progress on the consolidation process, and I want to take a moment to share where we are and what’s ahead. As previously announced, I am pleased to share that Johnna Eaton will serve as Campus Director, reporting to Jessica Williamson, Associate Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success. Department chairs now report to Dr. Delena Gatch, Associate Vice President of Institutional Assessment and Accreditation, ensuring strong academic alignment as we move forward. Operational units will continue aligning under the leadership of the Georgia Southern Cabinet as we move forward in the coming months through the work of our consolidation action teams.
As we look ahead, our top priority remains clear: ensuring a successful fall semester for our students. That success begins with strong enrollment and the support systems that help our students thrive. I’m pleased to share that, to date, our overall enrollment is 5.3% ahead of last year, totaling 1,626 students. While our new incoming class is on par with last year, we’ve seen encouraging growth with a 6.9% increase in returning students and a 10% gain in dual enrollment. I’m grateful for the collective effort driving this momentum and look forward to continuing our work to welcome and retain even more students in the months to come.
During fall semester, I will hold a “State of the College” address in September, followed by an open town hall where we can engage in dialogue, answer questions, and listen to your feedback. More information will be forthcoming. I also look forward to joining you for student convocation on August 14th at 2:00 p.m.
This is an exciting time for East Georgia, and your voices matter in this process. Please continue sharing your feedback, ideas, and questions. Together, we will shape a strong future for this institution, grounded in our unwavering commitment to student success.
Sincerely,
Kyle Marrero
East Georgia State College
Archived Announcements
EGSC President announces retirement • February 20, 2025
As we look ahead to a strong semester, the moment is right for me to share some personal news with you. At the end of my current term this summer, I’ll be retiring as President of East Georgia State College. This decision is bittersweet, but after much reflection, I’ve decided it’s time to start a new chapter and move closer to family and friends in Florida.
Serving as President of EGSC has been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of my career. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together — from turning around enrollment to launching the Bobcat Food Pantry to supporting our students in new and meaningful ways. None of this would have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our incredible faculty and staff. I’m deeply grateful for your support, collaboration, and friendship.
I also want to thank Chancellor Perdue, the Board of Regents and the entire University System of Georgia leadership team for their trust and support during my time here. In fact, after I shared my news with Chancellor Perdue, he passed along this comment that I share with his permission:
“President Schecter over the past three years has been East Georgia State College’s biggest advocate and proudest Bobcat. This past fall, EGSC’s student body grew by more than 3%, a testament to his and his team’s strong focus on enrollment and a great campus experience. I appreciate his dedication and service and wish him our best in his well-earned retirement.”
It’s truly been an honor to serve this institution and community, and I’ll always cherish the memories and relationships built along the way. It’s been 35 years since I began my career in education, starting as a high school teacher in 1990 in my hometown of Ormond Beach, Florida. Education has been the most fulfilling and rewarding path I could have chosen, and I truly can’t imagine having done anything else. It’s my honor to finish that career with all of you.
As for what’s next, I don’t have any set plans yet to be honest, but I’m looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that come with this next phase of life. While I may be moving on, I’ll always be cheering for EGSC and the amazing work that continues here.
Thank you for everything. I look forward to our remaining time together, and I’m as dedicated as ever to making sure our Bobcats thrive.
With gratitude,
David
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But we want you to know that not all campuses are like that – and there’s one right here in your backyard in Southeast Georgia that is safe, friendly, and student-focused. East Georgia State College just celebrated its 50th Anniversary last year. We are stable and life is pretty predictable here. We value families and students that want to be part of a quieter atmosphere, conducive to learning, growth, dialogue, and self-reflection. Some would call those small town values, and that works for us.
Our main campus in Swainsboro is on 300+ acres of pine trees, trails and a quiet lake. We have over 400 dorm rooms available and, most importantly, we have the lowest tuition and fees of any school in the University System of Georgia. Ninety-eight percent of students receive some form of financial aid support. We also offer classes in Statesboro, Augusta, and online.
Our terrific faculty and staff work hard every day to help students succeed. We have an access mission and all students are welcome. We support hearing different voices, being tolerant of others, and inviting dialogue and debate. We value peace of mind and those seeking to better themselves, their families, and their communities.
So, if you’re thinking about college right now, give us a chance. Maybe you’re coming out of high school, or you’re an adult learner giving college a try or you want to return to complete your degree - EGSC may be for you. We believe we are the right college at the right time.
Contact us today at 478-289-2017 to learn more or speak with our Admissions team. Follow us and check us out on social media on Facebook and Instagram @eastgeorgiastatecollege and on X @EastGaCollege, or send me a note at president@ega.edu. Let’s talk.
Best,
David L. Schecter
President
