Albany State celebrates investiture of 11th president during Founder’s Week

ALBANY – Georgia’s higher-educational community thinks it has found a jewel in Robert Scott, and on Friday, University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue brought this message home by draping the chain of office around the neck of the Albany State University president.

Scott became the 11th president in the 123-year history of the four-year college located on two campuses in Albany in May of 2025, and his investiture came during this year’s Founder’s Week celebration. 

The origins of what became Albany State University in 1996 started with the founding in 1903 of the Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute by Joseph Winthrop Holley.

Scott was selected after a national search of more than a half-year to head the historically black university. He is the former president of research and development at the Kraft Heinz Co., and also held positions at Abbott Nutrition, Procter & Gamble and the Coca-Cola Co.

A 1991 graduate of Norfolk State University in Virginia, Scott was the first in his family to attend college, and he attributed his accomplishments to lessons learned from his grandparents and parents. The ASU president’s academic career includes time as a biology teacher at his alma mater and serving as an associate dean at both Boston College and Spelman College.

Speakers at the investiture ceremony described Scott as someone who dives into data but can also adroitly make use of his intuition to make leaps in development.

During his remarks, Scott indicated that his work is about more than numbers, although he has an agenda that includes performance goals.

“I will dream big dreams for this university,” he said. “I will wake up every day focused on creating a sustainable future for this university.”

Focusing on budgets and improving student performance will not take a back seat to focusing on those people whose futures are in the hands of the professors and administrators, he said.

“(I am) launching a movement at Albany State University: ‘We Care,’” Scott added. “It’s not going to be a slogan. It’s not going to be a campaign. It’s going to be a commitment. Culture matters in everything you do.

“We can build the newest, nicest buildings … but if you don’t have the culture of Albany State right, nothing else matters.”

The president laid out two other innovative priorities for the institution. The second goal he outlined was raising the university’s academic profile and will involve investing $2 million in a three-year effort to drive faculty excellence.

“Because reputation matters,” Scott said. “We will spend time in the 14 counties that (surround) Albany, attracting them here and educating them.”

The third goal is bringing in additional funds to the university.

“Together, we will honor the foundation that was built for us,” Scott said. “Together, we will strengthen it for those who come after us. Together, we will make this a place where futures are shaped. Together, we can reinvigorate the flame of excellence. That’s if we choose to. That’s if we choose to. That’s if we choose to.”

After a program that included speakers from Scott’s time in the corporate world, a college friend, U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, local lawmakers, staff and the president’s family, Purdue kept his remarks brief.

“With all the things that have been said today, I say amen, amen, we got the right one,” he said. “I am really excited about the future of Albany State under the leadership of Robert Scott.”