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Wingate president announces retirement
Wingate University Communications
April 22, 2014
3 MIN READ TIME

Wingate president announces retirement

Wingate president announces retirement
Wingate University Communications
April 22, 2014

Jerry E. McGee, Wingate University’s 13th president, announced plans today (April 22) to retire in May 2015. McGee is N.C.’s longest-serving university president.

At the time of his retirement, he will have served at Wingate for 23 years. McGee’s remarks are available here.

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Wingate photo

Jerry E. McGee announced plans today to retire from Wingate University in 2015.

“During these years I’ve enjoyed watching thousands of young men and women receive the skills necessary to graduate from our university fully prepared to live great lives,” said McGee in his video statement. “Our institution has been blessed by the dedicated skills of an exceptional faculty and the tireless efforts of a highly qualified staff.”

Through his leadership, Wingate has secured hundreds of millions in gifts and grants for scholarships, endowment and campus development. During his tenure, Wingate has achieved university status, nearly tripled enrollment, became a doctoral-granting institution and built a number of new facilities, including The Levine College of Health Sciences and J M Smith Residence Hall.

New graduate programs initiated during these years, included: pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, sport management, accounting, MBA, leadership and licensure programs within graduate education. Undergraduate programs have been added, like nursing, political science and criminal justice.

Additionally, McGee officiated 404 college football games in 36 years. He is a member of the South Atlantic Conference Athletic Hall of Fame, Wingate University Athletic Hall of Fame, the Union County Business Leaders Hall of Fame and North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

McGee has also found time to be actively involved in the community. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Affiliate of Fifth Third Bank, the Wilma McCurdy Trust and the McSwain Foundation. He also is a past district governor of Civitan International. He served as a member of the NCAA Presidents’ Council and twice served as the National Chairman of the Football Issues Committee for NCAA Division II. He served as Chairman of Union County’s Economic Development program and as Chairman of the Presidents’ Council of the South Atlantic Conference, as well as Chairman of the Presidents' Council of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities.

In 2008, he was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus of East Carolina, where he received his undergraduate degree. He also holds a master’s degree from Appalachian State University and a doctorate from Nova University. He has completed two books, The Sitting and Talking Place, which tells of his special relationship with his maternal grandfather and Roberdell – A Village of Grace, which describes life in the small textile community he grew up in. In 2006, McGee received North Carolina’s highest civilian honor, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, in recognition of his extraordinary service to the state.

McGee will complete the 2014-15 academic year as president. A search for the next president will begin immediately.