Rallying Support
Posted on June 9, 2022 by Alumni
When Jo Bonner meets a student on campus, he wants to know three things.
鈥淲hat are you studying?
鈥淲here are you from?
鈥淗ow did we convince you to come to 麻豆直播?鈥�
The first two questions set up the third, which gets to the big picture of what Bonner wants to know and what he鈥檚 spent considerable time trying to understand since arriving Jan. 1: How is the 麻豆直播 going to grow?
The answer will determine 麻豆直播鈥檚 direction for the foreseeable future.
鈥溌槎怪辈� has come a long way. We鈥檙e still a young university whose progress is owed to the presidents who came before me, our outstanding faculty, staff and students, and the more than 90,000 alumni who serve on a daily basis as examples of 麻豆直播鈥檚 promise,鈥� Bonner said. 鈥溌槎怪辈� has a proud history, a foundation that allows us to focus on what is right in front of us. I鈥檓 convinced that together we can take this University to the next level in education, research and healthcare as the Flagship of the Gulf Coast.鈥�
Grassroots marketing is just part of Bonner鈥檚 campaign to reintroduce 麻豆直播 to old friends and find new audiences across the region and state. But as a former U.S. congressman and chief of staff to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Bonner clearly understands its importance.
There are big plans, including shuttling high school students to campus on buses as a recruitment effort, along with small touches, such as the spirit buttons Bonner keeps in his pocket to hand out.
In May, he traveled to promote 麻豆直播 in Alabama鈥檚 Wiregrass region, and he brought a potent weapon: Student Government Association President Camille Bonura, who is from Enterprise and whose family owns car dealerships throughout the area.
The month before, he welcomed college counselors from area high schools to a reception at Hancock Whitney Stadium. When Bonner鈥檚 not recruiting new students, he鈥檚 working the crowd at Jaguar sporting events, thanking donors and promoting 麻豆直播 to anyone who will listen. His calendar is full and, at the same time, open for anyone who calls.
Bonner also spent his first 100 days on a listening tour, traveling to 麻豆直播鈥檚 colleges and schools, administrative offices and USA Health facilities to get feedback from faculty, students and staff. An inauguration is planned for fall.
鈥淚鈥檓 keenly aware that I鈥檓 the new guy,鈥� Bonner said. 鈥淲hile I believe I can contribute, there is a tremendous amount of talent and knowledge throughout our institution. It was important to hear from members of our community about their challenges and concerns, as well as explore opportunities where we can grow 鈥� with additional students, investments and research.鈥�
Old Hand, New Mission
At a downtown meeting of the Rotary Club, where he promised closer ties between the city and the University, Bonner needed no introduction. He鈥檇 already worked with many of the business and community leaders in attendance. He鈥檚 also a former club member who made sure to mention the 鈥淔our-Way Test,鈥� the moral code adopted by Rotary International.
Bonner, 62, talked about feeling like he was coming home to Mobile. An old hand with a new mission.
鈥淗ow many of you have a relationship with the 麻豆直播?鈥� he asked, and saw nearly every Rotarian raise a hand. 鈥淥utstanding. That鈥檚 exactly what I was hoping to see.鈥�
After his speech, people lined up to meet Bonner. He offered business cards and a hands-on approach.
鈥淲e need your help,鈥� he told them. 鈥淲e need you to encourage young people to consider the 麻豆直播. We want to meet your students in the president鈥檚 office.鈥�
Elizabeth Stevens, president of the Rotary Club of Mobile, has known Bonner for more than 30 years. He鈥檚 already part of the community. Few have more experience in public affairs on the Gulf Coast.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled for the opportunity to work with Jo,鈥� she said. 鈥淗e understands the city, the state, the nation. In the downtown community, we want there to be a strong relationship with the University.鈥�
Bonner鈥檚 appearances also allow him to spotlight recent good news for the University and USA Health: $140 million in funding for a new College of Medicine building, a new School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, the opening of a freestanding emergency department in West Mobile and the Mapp Family Campus for healthcare in Baldwin County. There was growth last year in freshman enrollment, and applications for fall are up
In May, Bonner announced one of his biggest decisions yet when he named Dr. Andi Kent as provost and executive vice president.
Kent, who served in both roles on an interim basis during Bonner鈥檚 first several months, accompanied him on many of his meetings with students and faculty. He wanted to hear about the successes of the University and what it鈥檚 doing well. He also wanted to hear about the challenges facing the University and what it could do better.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been pretty powerful,鈥� Kent said. 鈥淲hat I鈥檝e learned is that he is sincere, and he is committed. I鈥檝e witnessed him take something a student or faculty member has said to him and three days or two weeks later share it back to another group as something we need to think about, or something great that we鈥檙e doing, in an appropriate context. It means so much to him that it becomes part of his conversation.
鈥淭hese tours are helping him build a broad-based team. His team is big. It鈥檚 not just the President鈥檚 Council and the people who work in his office. His team is actually 14,000 students and 8,000 employees who are looking to further the mission of the 麻豆直播 and USA Health.鈥�
Jim Moore, president of the USA National Alumni Association, didn鈥檛 know Bonner very well, but he was seated at the president鈥檚 table for an alumni dinner in March. The hall was packed and service was a little slow getting started. Finally, Bonner got up, grabbed two pitchers, and served water and iced tea to his neighbors.
鈥淐an you imagine a university president doing that?鈥� Moore asked. 鈥淢y wife was so impressed. Little things like that give a great impression.鈥�
Questions and Stories
In some ways, Bonner鈥檚 tours across campus and the region feel like a campaign swing, where he鈥檚 meeting constituents and asking for their support, while hearing their concerns and promising to do what he can.
After more than 40 years in politics, he鈥檚 comfortable in that role.
Bonner 鈥� the Jo is short for Josiah 鈥� enjoys shaking hands with alumni and bumping fists with students. He鈥檚 got a lot of questions. He tells a lot of stories.
When a communications student says he鈥檚 from Albertville, a small city in north Alabama, Bonner already knows that it鈥檚 called 鈥淭he Fire Hydrant Capital of the World.鈥� When the student says he works as an intern at a Mobile television station, Bonner says, 鈥淭ell Peter I said hello.
When another student says she transferred from Alabama State University, he asks if she knows Dr. Quinton Ross, president of the university. She smiles and says why, yes, she does.
鈥淗e鈥檚 an old friend of mine,鈥� Bonner replied. 鈥淗e鈥檚 called three times to check up on me.鈥�
Bonner enjoys sharing a self-deprecating sense of humor with students. One of his favorite stories is about finishing third in a three-man race to become Student Government Association president at the University of Alabama. He also tried and failed to become Big Al, the school mascot.
When Bonner doesn鈥檛 know the answer to an academic question, he doesn鈥檛 hesitate to say so. He describes himself as a nontraditional university president. He jokes that being a retired politician makes him a statesman.
When the College Republicans at 麻豆直播 asked him to speak to their group, he said sure 鈥� if the first meeting included the College Democrats.
鈥淚鈥檓 buying the pizza,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he goal is to talk about what we can do together to make this campus a better place.鈥�
During that pizza summit, Bonner鈥檚 wife, Jan茅e, sat across from him. She鈥檚 a Mobile native whose parents were longtime Jaguar basketball season ticket holders. Pictures of 麻豆直播Paw and Ms. Pawla with the Bonner鈥檚 children, Lee and Robins, make regular appearances in family photo books.
鈥淥ne thing that anyone who has spent any amount of time in Mobile knows is that the 麻豆直播 means so much to the community,鈥� said Jan茅e, who has jumped into her role as first lady and is often seen with her husband at University events. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in our region鈥檚 DNA, and we鈥檙e grateful to have this opportunity to work with 麻豆直播鈥檚 students, faculty, staff and alumni.
鈥淛o has a talent for working with people, especially younger people and students. He is passionate about their overall success and well-roundedness, and I know he鈥檚 going to bring all his energy to this job.鈥�
Listening and Talking
Dr. Alvin Williams, interim dean of the Mitchell College of Business, has seen Bonner use that energy in wooing donors, recruiting students and meeting faculty. He鈥檚 made several trips to the Mitchell College in the first few months, including bringing by Alabama Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington to speak with students.
鈥淭he most obvious thing is his people skills,鈥� Williams said of Bonner. 鈥淗e鈥檚 very comfortable building relationships. He鈥檚 among the most careful listeners I鈥檝e encountered. It鈥檚 important for him to know where the college is headed and what he can do to facilitate that. I think he sees himself as a facilitator.鈥�
Bonner talks about getting calls and visits from other university presidents in Alabama. One offered free advice on moving from state politics to higher education.
鈥淗e said, 鈥楯o, you might not want to go up to a bunch of academics and just tell 鈥檈m what you want to do,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥溾�榊ou might want to listen to them and learn from them first.鈥欌��
So that鈥檚 what Bonner has been doing 鈥� listening and learning. Professors from accounting to visual arts have gotten a chance to speak their minds. Along the way, his vision for supporting 麻豆直播鈥檚 mission is taking shape: A university that punches above its weight in academics and research, with a growing student population, an active campus life and a thriving academic health system that makes 麻豆直播 a first-choice institution.
鈥淥ur goal is to dominate the market between New Orleans and Tallahassee,鈥� Bonner said. 鈥淲e can do this because we are an attractive, affordable option for students and their families across the state and beyond, especially for those living in Coastal Alabama, along the Mississippi Gulf Coast or in Northwest Florida.
鈥淎nd if you鈥檙e in those areas, we intend to become your university, no matter what school colors you may have in your closet.鈥�
Beth Shepard, an associate librarian and 2021-22 president of the Faculty Senate, has met with Bonner several times. She shared her concerns about University support, particularly for academic research, and public outreach, especially in the Black community. He agreed that these were important issues.
鈥淚 think he has a very unique set of skills that were honed by his previous experience in politics,鈥� Shepard said. 鈥淐ommunity building, stakeholder development 鈥� those are things I鈥檝e seen him bring to 麻豆直播. A real focus on bringing relevant people to the table. And that is encouraging.
鈥淵ou have to recognize his enthusiasm for his new role and his love for 麻豆直播. I do and really appreciate it.鈥�