Former University of West Florida vice president Dr. Brendan Kelly has been selected as the 24th president of Eastern Michigan University. The Board of Regents selected Kelly last week following a national search to replace retiring president James Smith. He will arrive as president-elect on March 1, 2026, and formally assume the presidency in early May under a five-year contract.
UWF Connection
Kelly arrived in 2004 as an assistant professor of communication arts, immediately taking charge of the university’s forensics program. His work directing the speech and debate team earned national recognition, including his eventual induction into the National Forensic Association Hall of Fame. He taught courses in political communication, communication ethics, and strategic communication while building a reputation as an engaged faculty member, receiving UWF’s Distinguished Teaching Award and Faculty Excellence Award in Student Affairs.
- Under UWF President Judy Bense, he served as chair of the Department of Communication Arts and later director of the School of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts before being named vice president for university advancement and president of the UWF Foundation, Inc., which he assumed in 2013.
In this capacity, Kelly simultaneously served as CEO of the UWF Historic Trust. He also oversaw marketing and communications, alumni relations, development, community engagement, the Historic Trust’s museums and properties, and WUWF Public Media. His advancement leadership coincided with a successful capital campaign that raised approximately $50 million in private support, while he stewarded a foundation investment portfolio valued at more than $77 million.
Kelly departed UWF in 2017, leaving behind a legacy spanning academic excellence, forensics achievement, and significant institutional advancement. His subsequent career has taken him to leadership roles at USC Upstate, the University of West Georgia, and, most recently, the Arkansas State University System.
- Leadership Trajectory: Kelly left UWF in 2017 to serve as chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate from 2017-2020. He served as the president of the University of West Georgia from 2020-2024, when Kelly was selected as president of the Arkansas State University system.
Full Circle
Kelly’s EMU appointment represents a full-circle journey, as he earned both his bachelor’s degree in public relations and master’s degree in communication from EMU. He also worked at the university earlier in his career as assistant director of forensics and a lecturer in the Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, where he met his wife, Dr. Tressa Kelly, who is also a two-time EMU graduate.