Inauguration Week, from April 21-26, 2025, celebrated the investiture of Russell T. Keen as Augusta University's second president. A series of special events marked the historic occasion.
All Augusta University faculty, staff, and students were invited to join President Keen and the First Lady for an afternoon of ice cream, coffee and conversations on the Boardman Patio at Harrison Education Commons.
All faculty, staff, students and members of the Augusta community, celebrated the past, present, and future of Augusta University with the traditional toast at the fountain during Inauguration Week. Guests raised their glasses to the university’s continued success and honored new president Russell T. Keen. Following the Toast at the Fountain, all guests were invited to enjoy the AU Wind Ensemble Performance at Maxwell Theatre.
The Augusta University Wind Ensemble is the university’s premier wind band, comprised of the finest performers on campus. Led by director Isaac Brinberg, DMA, the Wind Ensemble performed a commemorative collection of songs. Wycliffe Gordon, world-renowned trombonist and the director of jazz studies at Augusta University, closed out the evening with a surprise performance to honor the president and first lady.
The investiture ceremony of Augusta University President Russell T. Keen signified the beginning of the next chapter of leadership for the university. The ceremony presented an opportunity for the university and community to witness the formal installation of the new leader. The ceremony featured academic traditions, speakers, music and remarks by the president.
The President’s Brunch is a casual, family-friendly annual event during Alumni Weekend with food and activities for alumni. Admission is free and included plenty of food and activities for children!
Dr. Russell T. Keen assumed the presidency of Augusta University on July 1, 2024, bringing with him more than two decades of leadership experience within the University System of Georgia and a bold vision for elevating Augusta University as a national leader in health sciences education and research.
A native of Augusta and a proud first-generation college graduate, Dr. Keen holds a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Management from the University of Georgia, along with a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia Southern University.
Dr. Keen is widely recognized for his ability to build strategic partnerships, engage stakeholders, and secure critical resources to advance institutional priorities. His leadership is marked by a deep commitment to academic excellence, student success, and transformative research. Since joining Augusta University in 2015 as executive vice president and chief of staff to President Brooks A. Keel, Dr. Keen has played a pivotal role in AU’s growth, including the landmark partnership with Wellstar Health System to form Wellstar MCG Health.
Read MoreAugusta University’s First Lady Karen Keen was born and raised in Millen, Georgia, where her passion for education began at an early age. She progressed through Jenkins County Public Schools before attending Georgia Southern University as a first-generation college student and earning a bachelor's degree in early childhood education.
Two weeks after graduating from Georgia Southern, at the convincing of a close friend, Karen agreed to go on a “blind date” with a young man who had also recently graduated from the university. Within two years, she married Russell Keen and they set out to make a life together with hearts of service and the aim of creating a home full of faith and joy.
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Write or record a congratulatory message for the president to commemorate his investiture and inauguration week. These messages and videos will be compiled and shared with the president and first lady to remember this historic moment.
With sincere appreciation to those who helped make this investiture possible
Mr. Nick and Mrs. Beth Evans
We want to thank all of the volunteers and Augusta University community for their time and talents on the planning of a successful inauguration.
A commitment to effective teaching and engaged learning is our long-held mission, supported with an openness to ever-changing methods, fresh courses, modern facilities, evolving degree programs and innovative collaborations – plus hands-on, real-world, whole-hearted instruction that expands impact and access.
Research takes prominence by taking place everywhere and among everyone: in wetlands and archives, with senior investigators and sophomore classes, in health care facilities, and in our community. Our research works to expand knowledge, express ideas, enhance teaching, cure cancer, prevent cyberattacks, and more.
We are committed to ambitious enrollment growth and dedicated to channeling unprecedented resources, resolve, programming, and processes into the extraordinary growth of each of our students: intellectually and culturally, critically and creatively, professionally and personally, individually and relationally.
We strive to foster community on our campus and far beyond, cultivating a new town/gown dynamic that eclipses expectations, fuels both university and community growth, and generates reciprocity, respect, trust, opportunity, and authentic goodwill across our campuses, our city, our region, and our state.
We are determined to build a culture of greater philanthropy and financial sustainability. More importantly, we are dedicated to building relationships with alumni; benefactors from across the city, the state and the region; and career contributors who are working, building and giving right here on our campus.