168¿ª½±Íø¹ÙÍø

The University of North Georgia will celebrate the investiture of Michael P. "Mike" Shannon as the university's 21st president on Friday, Nov. 10, at 9 a.m. in the Convocation Center at 168¿ª½±Íø¹ÙÍø’s Dahlonega Campus.

An investiture ceremony is a long-standing academic tradition that is typically held during a president’s first year of office to signify a new chapter of leadership for the university. The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia named Shannon as 168¿ª½±Íø¹ÙÍø's president on June 1, and he took office July 1. A retired U.S. Army officer, Shannon most recently served as interim executive vice president for Administration and Finance and interim chief business officer at Georgia Institute of Technology.

The investiture ceremony provides an opportunity for the new president to share his vision for the university, and it allows guests and community leaders to participate in the formal installation of the president. Shannon's investiture ceremony will feature performances by university musicians and remarks by the president and special guests, including University System of Georgia Board of Regents Chairman Harold Reynolds, Chancellor Sonny Perdue, and Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera.

The investiture ceremony will be followed by a 168¿ª½±Íø¹ÙÍø Corps of Cadets Military Review at 11:30 a.m. at Memorial Hall Gym and a celebratory picnic for the university community at the Pine Valley Recreation Center in Dahlonega from 1-4 p.m.

The investiture is scheduled in the same week as Veterans Day commemorations to highlight 168¿ª½±Íø¹ÙÍø's designations as one of six senior military colleges in the nation and as The Military College of Georgia. Shannon will serve as the grand marshal of the Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 11, in downtown Dahlonega.

In addition, the week's festivities will include an Academic Showcase on Thursday, Nov. 9, from 2-4 p.m. The event will feature student and faculty academic and service activities from across 168¿ª½±Íø¹ÙÍø's five campuses. The Academic Showcase will be in the Convocation Center at 168¿ª½±Íø¹ÙÍø's Dahlonega Campus and will be shared digitally via the investiture website.

All members of the university community are invited and encouraged to participate in the activities as their schedules allow. The investiture ceremony will be streamed live on the day of the event, and 168¿ª½±Íø¹ÙÍø's regional campuses will host watch parties for those who are unable to attend in person. Streaming will begin at 8:45 a.m.

Registration for the investiture ceremony and associated events is available via the investiture website at ung.edu/investiture.