Dr. Penny L. Elkins didn’t set out to go into higher education or become a university president. But throughout her career, she has always aspired to serve others and do the very best with each opportunity presented to her. That mindset and ambition have taken her on a journey of successes and advancements, and now to the helm of Mercer University.
Dr. Elkins earned her bachelor’s degree in Christianity and education and master’s degree in education at Mercer, making her the first Double Bear to serve as president since George Connell in the 1950s. She also holds an education specialist degree in education, administration and supervision and a Ph.D. in educational leadership.
A Columbus native, Dr. Elkins said her “modest beginnings” inspired and helped prepare her for a life as a leader. Her father, James Hamm, was a long-haul truck driver, and her mother, Mavis, was a bookkeeper and co-owner of a city cafe. Neither finished high school, but their constant encouragement and examples of a strong work ethic drove Dr. Elkins to dream bigger.
“I’m a first-generation college student, the first person in my family to get a four-year bachelor’s degree,” she said. “My father, though not formally educated, was a very wise man, and he insisted that I pursue educational excellence. He always wanted me to go to college. He knew education was the way for our family to be successful and for us to really shift the legacy.”
Dr. Elkins graduated as valedictorian of the 1986 class at Jordan Vocational High School and was accepted to Princeton University. But the summer before she was set to begin classes in New Jersey, she visited Mercer at the urging of a member of her church.
“I thought, ‘There’s something very different about this campus. I feel supported. I believe that I will be challenged here. I believe that I will have a community here and that I will be accepted here,’” she said. “And that is exactly what I received. So, I changed everything. I came to Mercer, and obviously, the rest is history.”
Another change for Dr. Elkins came during her sophomore year. A political science major on the pre-law track, she checked off an elective requirement by registering for an education class with Dr. Bobby Jones, who would become one of her most influential mentors. During class one day, he pointed out how passionate she was about children during their conversations and asked why she was a pre-law major.
“It wasn’t that Bobby was trying to get me to change my major at all, but he really wanted me to be fulfilled in whatever I did,” Dr. Elkins said. “He saw something that was already within me, and it was in that moment that I knew exactly what I was supposed to do. I changed my major to education, and I couldn’t be more proud that I did that.”
Her father had instilled in her a responsibility to do more and be better while serving those around her, and a career in education aligned with her desire to support, encourage and challenge others to achieve success beyond what they thought possible.
Dr. Elkins began her career teaching third grade at Jessie Rice Elementary School in Macon, and three years later, at age 25, she was asked to become assistant principal at L.H. Williams Elementary. She didn’t necessarily want to leave teaching, but she accepted the position because there was a need and others believed she could do the job. Not long after, she became the sole leader at the school when the longtime principal went on family medical leave.
“I was challenged more than I have ever been challenged, and I’m so thankful for that opportunity that I served,” Dr. Elkins said. “I learned a lot about myself, about leadership, about serving others, and about really understanding my ‘why’ for why in the world I would choose to do something like that.”
Two years later, Dr. Elkins took another chance when she agreed to help lead Georgia College & State University’s new field-based teacher education program. She served in the role for five years and became the department chair of elementary and middle grades education. She was happy at Georgia College and planned to stay there long term, until a few Mercerians she met at an educators conference planted the seed for her return to Mercer.
“My goodness, they were persistent, and I’m glad they were. So they brought me back home,” she said. “So many folks think, ‘I bet she was always aspiring to be president.’ No, I was not. I was aspiring to do the best job I could do with what was in front of me, and every single time, there’s been another opportunity presented.”
Dr. Elkins has been a member of Mercer’s faculty and senior administration for more than 25 years. Years ago, she decided she would spend the rest of her career at Mercer, and she has remained committed to bettering it in every way that she can.
“I have immense gratitude for my predecessor, mentor and advocate who always ensured that my voice was heard and elevated,” Dr. Elkins said of former Mercer President William D. Underwood, who is now the University’s chancellor.
She is a tenured professor in the College of Education and holds the Fred L. Miles Endowed Chair of Educational Leadership at the University. She has served as associate dean and department chair for both teacher education and educational leadership in the College of Education, vice president for the Cecil B. Day Graduate and Professional Campus in Atlanta, senior vice provost for strategic initiatives, senior vice president for enrollment management, and most recently, executive vice president and interim provost.
Dr. Elkins said her upbringing has grounded her in the servant-leadership philosophy. To her, leadership is not about the person or the title but about character and stewardship of the mission. She believes in transformational leadership and collaborative, collegial work that moves people toward a common vision.
“At the end of the day, people are following you as a person, which is incredibly humbling. They have to believe that you are leading them for the right reasons. They have to trust you,” she said. “Leadership is about influencing and hopefully inspiring others around you to be even greater than you are. I am the 19th president at Mercer in almost 200 years. What a privilege to do that, and I treat it as such.”
As she settles into her role as president, Dr. Elkins is focusing on three main commitments: increasing impact for students; enhancing Mercer’s academic enterprise; and amplifying Mercer’s story. But before any tactical strategies are developed or implemented, she’s listening closely to the Mercer community through a variety of platforms, including surveys and forums.
“I want (the Mercer community) to come alongside us in the vision of making Mercer the most impactful private research university in the world. I’m so grateful for our students, faculty, staff, trustees, donors, supporters and partners. What an incredible group of people who are aligned in the mission of Mercer University,” she said. “I do believe that Mercer’s best days are ahead, our best chapters are yet unwritten.”
While she works to usher in Mercer’s best years, Dr. Elkins is backed by a strong family support system. Jason, her husband of nearly 23 years, is a champion for her and Mercer, and the couple is close with their family, many of whom reside in Columbus. Jason is an agency manager for Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance and is also from Columbus. Growing up, his mother was best friends with Dr. Elkins’ eldest sister, Teddie Ussery, who is proud to have later played matchmaker for the couple.
“Jason has been with me all my Mercer years,” Dr. Elkins said. “He believes very strongly that it is a team effort. We call ourselves Team Elkins, and we believe it. We’ve never been blessed with biological children, so I love to say that the Lord decided to give me 10,000 Mercer children, which he did, and I’m very fulfilled and very blessed, as is Jason.”
Seeing and sharing the successes of Mercer students, faculty and staff is what keeps Dr. Elkins going. This gives her energy every day, even amid the challenges that executive leadership can bring.
“There is nothing more special to me than being able to serve the institution that literally changed the trajectory of my life,” she said. “The idea that I get to lead this university and that we may be the ones to see her through the bicentennial is absolutely astounding to me. I could never have come up with a story that I would get to do that.”
This story originally appeared in the Spring 2026 issue of The Mercerian. Read the full magazine.
