FGCU Board of Trustees selects President-elect Aysegul Timur, Ph.D.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Today, Florida Gulf Coast University’s Board of Trusteesselected Aysegul Timur, Ph.D., to become FGCU’s fifth president.  

The decision was reached Thursday afternoon following final interviews with four finalists, which also included Henry Mack III, Ed.D., the senior chancellor of the Florida Department of Education; Neil J. MacKinnon, Ph.D., the executive vice president for Academic Affairs and provost at Augusta University; and Joseph A. “Jay” Morgan, Ph.D., the president of Morehead State University. 

Timur’s selection is historic, making her the first female president selected to lead the university. President-elect Timur’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the Board of Governors.  

She currently serves as vice president and vice provost for Strategy and Program Innovation at FGCU. Through her role, Timur launched the micro-credentialing and digital badges initiative and recently led the university to receive a historic $22.9 million grant through the U.S. Department of Commerce – Economic Development Administration’s Good Jobs Challenge Grant for workforce development in Southwest Florida. 

Originally from Turkey, Timur made the cross-continental move to Naples 25 years ago. She soon learned English and, within the next four years, earned a doctorate from the University of South Florida. Prior to moving to the U.S., she earned her master’s and bachelor degree in business administration from the University of Istanbul.

“After my own family, my kids and my husband, this is really a life achievement for me to be considered as president-elect of FGCU,” Timur said. “What we do, the difference that we make in our students and our community – I don’t have enough words to say how honored I am to lead this great institution, and working with each one of you here, our students, our faculty and staff.” 

Contract negotiations will start immediately, and it is anticipated that the transfer of presidential duties will occur July 1, following the retirement of FGCU’s fourth president, Mike Martin.  

Martin took office at FGCU in 2017 and is retiring after more than five decades to higher education. 

View President-elect Timur’s application materials at www.fgcu.edu/presidentialsearch/presidentialfinalists.  

For more information, contact: 

• Tiffany Reynolds | Director of Board Relations and Associate Corporate Secretary  
  [email protected] | 239.590.1005   
• Pamela McCabe | Coordinator of University Communications and Media Relations  
  [email protected] | 239.590.1012

–FGCU–