ATHENS – About a year after being named president, Dr. Catherine Wehlburg was officially inaugurated today as Athens State University’s 39th president.
“What an extraordinary and humbling moment this is,” said Dr. Catherine Wehlburg, President of Athens State University. “I stand before you today with immense gratitude, a deep sense of purpose, and tremendous hope for what lies ahead. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the president of Athens State University—a university with a proud legacy, a strong present, and an even brighter future.
“I am so deeply honored to lead this university because I believe in the transformational power of access, of opportunity, and of education that meets people where they are and helps them go further than they ever thought possible.”
Related story: Wehlburg named 39th president of Athens State University
An inauguration and investiture ceremony was held this morning in Carter Hall attended by university faculty, staff, alumni, and special guests.
Wehlburg began her term in May 2024 after serving as interim president since January 2023. She is Athens State’s third permanent female president in the institution’s history.
”We’re very proud of Dr. Wehlburg,” said Sen. Arthur Orr, Chair Pro Tem of the Athens State University Board of Trustees. “In the few years that she’s been here, she’s been making great strides for our university. We look forward to the future and her being our president.
“In my opinion, the best is yet to come.”
Wehlburg received her B.S. in Psychology and her M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Florida. She is an accomplished leader and has over three decades of experience in higher education.
In addition to her faculty and administrative roles, she has also served as a Senior Fellow at the American Association of Colleges and Universities and at the American Association of Higher Education.
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