STATESBORO — Georgia Southern University announced Wednesday morning that TaJuan Wilson, PhD., has been selected to be the first associate vice president for inclusive excellence. 

This position was one of the seven recommendations that Damon A. Williams, PhD., included in his diversity and inclusive excellence report, Three Campuses One Heartbeat.

“Georgia Southern has demonstrated a clear commitment to Inclusive Excellence through the creation of this leadership role, and I’m thrilled to be selected,” Wilson wrote in an email. “After having the opportunity to interview on all three campuses and interacting with students, faculty, and staff, it became immediately apparent to me that Georgia Southern is primed for incredible success.”

Wilson plans to continue to listen to the experiences and needs of students, faculty, staff, alumni and the communities of GS. Wilson said he wants his role to affect how GS centers their efforts in meaningful and intentional ways to ensure student success is always at the forefront.

Wilson has been a diversity and inclusion consultant since 2017. Wilson starts his work at GS on March 1.

“At Georgia Southern, he will continue our efforts to develop our Inclusive Excellence vision and strategy,” according to an email from Communications and Marketing. “Dr. Wilson will be a strategic partner with faculty, staff and students to initiate, define, and implement our inclusive excellence initiatives, policies and programs. This work will support the center pillar of the university’s strategic plan, through which all our populations will feel valued and respected, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability.”

Wilson has work experience from the University of Iowa, where he served as the special assistant for external relations and associate vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion. Before that, he was the executive director of student programs at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Wilson was a director of GEAR-UP Wyoming, a college access and awareness program for low-income and first-generation students near Western Wyoming Community College, and assistant director of TRIO Upward Bound at Southern Arkansas University, according to GS Communications and Marketing.

Sarah Smith, The George-Anne Managing News Editor, gaeditor@georgiasouthern.edu