TIFTON–Dr. Jerry Baker announced on Wednesday that he will retire from his position of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on May 20, 2022.
“I want to personally thank Dr. Baker for all he has done for our college,” ABAC President David Bridges said. “Dr. Baker was a key player in the success story that ABAC has written during his time here. From new ABAC bachelor’s degree programs to the Bainbridge State College consolidation with ABAC, Dr. Baker has been a trusted colleague.”
Baker began his ABAC tenure as the Dean of the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2017. He then took on the responsibilities of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs on July 1, 2017.
“It has been time well spent,” Baker said of his ABAC career. “I have been so fortunate to be able to work with Dr. Bridges. He is such a visionary. That’s a rare characteristic. It has been a wonderful eight years.”
Baker is most proud of the 12 bachelor’s degree programs that ABAC now has in place, particularly the four-year degree in Agricultural Education.
“When I first met with Dr. Bridges, he mentioned that Agricultural Education degree,” Baker said. “I immediately started researching it, and then I started connecting with FFA and Agricultural Education leadership.
“We worked hard to get that degree, and now for the past three years, we have had more Agricultural Education graduates than any college or university east of the Mississippi River. And these are strong graduates.”
Prior to joining the ABAC administration, Baker was the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society, an international honor society for scientists and engineers.
Baker also previously served as publisher of the Sigma Xi American Scientist Magazine, which is recognized by scientists and engineers worldwide as a premier publication of its type. His previous academic experience included 13 years as a faculty member in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia.
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