Mercer University’s longtime president steps down. What’s next for him?

Mercer University President William D. Underwood announced he will step down from his role in 2026, he said at a Board of Trustees meeting Friday.

Underwood will return to teaching full time in the Mercer’s School of Law, where he began his academic career 35 years ago, according to a news release from the university Friday afternoon.

“I could feel Mercer’s soul the first time I visited campus,” he said in a statement. “Being responsible for the stewardship of this special place – for preserving it for future generations – has been the professional honor of a lifetime.”

The tenured law professor will continue to serve as president until the Board of Trustees appoints a successor. A committee will be chosen “in the coming days” to begin a nationwide search for the next president, according to Board Chair Thomas “Tom” P. Bishop.

“I am grateful to the talented and supportive board members who entrusted me with this responsibility,” Underwood said. “I am thankful for the strong and stable senior team members who have been by my side.”

Underwood was one of the university’s only three presidents in the last 65 years. He took office as its 18th president on July 1, 2006.

He thanked students, faculty and staff for being his inspiration.

“Now I look forward to achieving my long-held ambition of stepping back up to the classroom,” Underwood said.

Prior to his presidential role at Mercer, he served as the interim president of Baylor University and was named Master Teacher for “extraordinary classroom teaching” at the Texas institution, a Mercer news release said.

Officials respond to Underwood’s move

Underwood’s engagement with students and the wider community drove his longtime leadership efforts, according to Mercer’s Board of Trustees.

Cathy Callaway Adams, chair of Mercer’s Board of Trustees Executive Committee and former board chair, said she is grateful that Underwood will not leave the university.

“His ongoing engagement with students — his embracing their aspirations, listening to their challenges, and seeking to create an environment that enables their thriving — has informed his presidential decision-making,” Callaway said.

Bishop emphasized he is “so fortunate” for Underwood’s support to build a new medical school in downtown Macon, which will be a major contribution to the area’s revitalization efforts, The Telegraph previously reported.

“His efforts updated and expanded all our campuses in ways that helped the university and their surrounding communities,” Bishop said.

Underwood did not immediately respond to The Telegraph’s request for comment.

This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 2:32 PM.