Savannah State University (SSU) is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Marcus S. Cox as the institution’s next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective August 1, 2025.
Dr. Cox currently serves as Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Fayetteville State University. A distinguished scholar and academic leader, he brings a wealth of experience in higher education leadership, curriculum innovation, and faculty development.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Cox to the Savannah State University community,” said SSU President Dr. Jermaine Whirl. “His scholarly expertise, proven leadership, and commitment to academic excellence align perfectly with our vision for the university’s next chapter. We look forward to his leadership in advancing our academic mission and supporting student success.”
Dr. Cox earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in history from Southern University in Baton Rouge. He holds an MBA from The Tommy and Victoria Baker School of Business at The Citadel and a Ph.D. in African American history from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
A noted historian, Dr. Cox specializes in African American civil-military history, the Modern Civil Rights Movement, and U.S. history since 1945. He has authored more than two dozen scholarly articles, reviews, and book chapters, and is the author of Segregated Soldiers: Military Training at Historically Black Colleges in the Jim Crow South (Louisiana State University Press).
His thought leadership extends beyond academia. Dr. Cox appeared in the National Geographic and Disney+ documentary Erased: WW2 Heroes of Color, and serves as a consultant to the Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. He is also the Chairman of the Veterans Rural Health Advisory Committee to the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Founding Director of the Gillis-Jones Institute for Ethics and Leadership at Fayetteville State University.
As SSU’s chief academic officer, Dr. Cox will lead the Division of Academic Affairs, overseeing the university’s academic colleges, libraries, and centers, as well as initiatives related to accreditation, research, and faculty development.
“I am deeply honored to join the team at Savannah State University,” said Dr. Cox. “SSU’s proud legacy, vibrant campus community, and commitment to student achievement resonate strongly with my values as an educator and leader. I look forward to working with President Whirl, university leadership, faculty, staff, and students to advance academic excellence and create new opportunities for innovation and growth.”
