IHL approves leadership profile and waives policy in national Jackson State presidential search

Information on Jackson State, Mississippi's largest historically Black university, will be included within the profile alongside leadership expectations desired of prospective candidates and information on how to submit an application to the AGB Search consulting firm. 

“I think one of the things is, people know the reputation of Jackson State University,” said John Sewell, IHL director of communications. “They know that it's a top research institution, they know that it’s Mississippi's only urban institution. It's a leading HBCU around the country.”

The profile will be posted on the websites of search partners, AGB Search, IHL’s website as well as JSU’s site. 

“This profile is the key marketing piece that candidates will see when the position is formally posted,” said Sewell.

The Board of Trustees also voted to waive a policy restricting an interim president from applying to become installed as the permanent leader. 

“This was done in the spirit of transparency to allow the interim president to apply if she so wished,” said Sewell. “It's important to keep in mind that this search process is confidential. No one knows who has applied.”

The profile is expected to be published next week, and paid advertisements will appear in national publications during the week of January 5. The deadline for presidential candidate submissions is March 3, 2026, with a final decision expected next spring.