Mercer’s next president will be the first female leader in its 192-year history

A nearly seven-month nationwide search for Mercer University’s next leader has ended, bringing the headship responsibility to a familiar face who will become the institution’s first female president in its 192-year history.

The Mercer University Board of Trustees unanimously elected Penny L. Elkins as the institution’s 19th president, the university announced Friday. She will succeed current President William D. Underwood, the university’s 18th president, who announced in April that he would step down and return to teaching at Mercer’s law school.

Elkins, a member of Mercer’s faculty and senior administration for more than 25 years who currently serves as executive vice president and interim provost, will begin her new role Jan. 1, 2026.

The Mercer graduate said she embraces the privileged opportunity and responsibility to steward the university.

“To be called and entrusted to lead the institution that so profoundly shaped the trajectory of my life is deeply humbling,” Elkins said in a statement. “As a proud Double Bear, I can never fully repay what Mercer has given to me, but years ago I accepted the call and dedicated my life’s work to paying it forward — to the current and future students, to the extraordinarily talented faculty and staff who create the ‘Mercer Experience,’ and to the communities we serve.”

Thomas Bishop, Mercer Board of Trustees member and outgoing chair, described the institution as “blessed” to have Elkins’ visionary leadership.

“We have only had three presidents in the last seven decades,” Bishop said. “After thoughtful consideration, we chose Dr. Elkins because we believe she has the right experience and skills to continue Mercer’s dramatic growth, prepare the University for the challenges that will face higher education in the years to come and be our next long-term president.”

Elkins is a tenured education professor with more than 30 years of experience. She began her career as a third-grade teacher and school administrator.

Throughout her career, Elkins has served various organizations across P–12 and higher education, gaining widely regarded expertise in equipping leaders and developing effective teams to achieve success, the university said.

Before being named Mercer’s executive vice president, Elkins spent 12 years as senior vice president for enrollment management — leading the university to record enrollment gains, including a 44% increase in freshman enrollment and a 47% rise in the residential undergraduate population, the university said.

In 2009, former Gov. Sonny Perdue appointed Elkins to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which oversees educator certification and approves professional education programs statewide. She served six years on the commission, including four as chair.

Elkins’ academic research interest include cognition theory in leadership, transformational leadership, birth-to-five education and early learning development, women in leadership and community partnership development.

School officials, including Underwood, said they are confident Elkins will leave Mercer in good hands.

“I am overjoyed for Mercer. She will be an amazing president, given her exceptional and demonstrated leadership, relational and problem-solving talents,” Underwood said in a statement. “I can hardly wait to watch Mercer flourish in the coming years under her leadership.”

Elkins was the unanimous choice of Mercer’s 12-member Presidential Search Committee. Richard Schneider, chair of the committee, said Elkins embodied all the qualities Mercer stakeholders identified as priorities for the university’s next president.

“Our committee found that Dr. Elkins has all of them. I am honored to be part of the team that recommended Dr. Elkins to be the 19th president of Mercer University,” Schneider said.

This story was originally published November 14, 2025 at 4:00 PM.