Five months into the job, University of South Alabama President Tony G. Waldrop has already overseen a record enrollment figure, made a string of high-profile public appearances, and fielded persistent questions about a possible on-campus football stadium. Now he is preparing for a milestone moment: the university’s first formal presidential inauguration in its 51-year history.
The university announced enrollment of 16,055 students this fall, a record for the institution. Waldrop marked the early months of his tenure with a mix of ceremonial and hands-on appearances, including the grand opening of a newly renovated lobby and courtyard at USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital and a turn taking the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that was popular nationwide that year.
Waldrop’s formal inauguration ceremony was scheduled for 2 p.m. on Friday, September 12, at the USA Mitchell Center. Neither of his two predecessors, Fred Whiddon or Gordon Moulton, had a formal inauguration ceremony during their tenures, making the event a first for the university. Classes were canceled for the day so that students, faculty and staff across campus could attend.
Guest speakers at the ceremony were expected to include Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudson, and U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, along with members of the University of South Alabama Board of Trustees. Dr. Steve Furr, the board’s chair pro tempore, was set to serve as master of ceremonies. University officials described the event as a chance for Waldrop to lay out his long-term vision for the school, building on months of conversations he has had with faculty, staff and students about the university’s direction.
In an interview ahead of the ceremony, Waldrop discussed the university’s continued progress on student retention, noting that the first-year retention rate for the fall 2013 freshman class climbed to 71 percent, marking the third consecutive year of improvement. He credited expanded academic advising, more data-driven efforts to flag financial obstacles early, and a push to get students involved in campus organizations, arguing that engaged students are more likely to persist and succeed.
Waldrop also spoke about fundraising, highlighting the Mitchell-Moulton Scholarship program created through Abraham Mitchell’s $50 million commitment to the university, with all gifts matched dollar-for-dollar. Waldrop and his wife, Julee Briscoe Waldrop, endowed their own scholarship in memory of his parents to benefit academically strong students from lower-income families, a group Waldrop said he identifies with personally. He also emphasized the value of employer-provided internships in preparing students for the workforce and said he has sought input from industry leaders, including positive feedback on the university’s engineering programs, to help align coursework with employer needs.
As Waldrop settles into the role, university officials say his inauguration will formally mark the start of an era focused on shared goals among the campus community, with an emphasis on collaboration between administration, faculty, staff and students as the university works to define its future direction.