History is in the books at Northwestern State University with the naming of Marcus Jones as the 20th president of the school. UL System President and CEO Jim Henderson says Jones has risen through the ranks and will be Northwestern’s first African-American leader. “From being in the faculty to being in the administration, to being in the system allowing him to travel abroad, he brings the total package to the president’s office,” says Henderson.
Prior to Monday’s decision by the UL System Board of Supervisors, Jones had most recently served as Northwestern’s interim president since July.
Henderson says Jones’ race is but one of the assets he brings to the leadership position at Northwestern University. “Marcus is the first African-American president in the school’s history, he is the candidate selected from what I think is the best group of semi-finalists and finalists we’ve ever brought to the UL System Board,” said Henderson.
Henderson says the fact that Marcus Jones is Northwestern’s 20th president is not the only attribute that rings strong in his appointment to the post. He says, “it’s historic that he’s going to be the 20th president in his own right, of course, his being an African-American male does have a much larger meaning to a large section of the population is something we should celebrate.”
Jones is a native of Winnfield and the 18th of 20 children.
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