Dr. George E. Cooper will begin his tenure as South Carolina State University’s 10th president today.
Today, Cooper will have several introductory meetings with faculty, staff and other university stakeholders.
There will be a welcoming reception for Cooper at the State Room on campus from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday.
Cooper takes over the reins from interim President Dr. Leonard McIntyre, who has served in that capacity since December.
Cooper was the deputy administrator for science and education resources development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. His agency at the USDA is responsible for distributing more than $145 million each year to a broad range of activities for minority colleges and universities.
He also served as vice president of academic affairs at Alabama A&M University and was a professor and dean at Tuskegee University.
Cooper received his doctorate in animal nutrition from the University of Illinois and his master’s degree from Tuskegee University.