Since Kyle Marrero was announced as a finalist to be the next Georgia Southern University president, students have begun to voice their opinions and hopes for GS.

Former president Jaimie Herbert resigned in May 2018, officially stepping down from his position in June.

On January 9, Marrero was announced as a presidential finalist, after a five-month search had been underway.

“[A new president] will represent a new era for Georgia Southern,” senior mechanical engineering major Jacob Springer said. “I’m just excited to see what will happen and see what new things will be brought to the university.”

Marrero is currently the president of the University of West Georgia, and has been since 2013.

“If we had somebody solid that would stay for a while, I think it would be good and we could make more change,” sophomore English major Emily Pittman said.

No official date has been set in choosing the new president, but students are already optimistic on what a new president could do for GS.

“I’d like to see them incorporate Armstrong well,” GS graduate Flynt Lovett said. “I know some students over there are feeling kind of left out. Maybe we could get some stuff done over there for them to feel more welcomed into the Georgia Southern family.”

Anthony Belinfante, The George-Anne News Reporter, ganewsed@georgiasouthern.edu