Jerry C. Davis

Jerry C. Davis is the President of the College of the Ozarks.

Over the course of his 44-year career as a college president (one of the longest in higher education), Davis has returned two institutions to their historic missions, despite significant financial and organizational challenges. Davis has received many personal and institutional awards for his service and leadership in the realm of higher education. He has served two terms as president of the American Association of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities and in 2014 was designated as an “Icon of Education” by Ingram’s, the Kansas City business magazine. For many years, he has served as a trustee or advisor of the Marine Military Academy and has been a featured speaker at the United States Air Force Academy and the United States Military Academy at West Point. In 2004, Davis received the Missourian Award, one of the state’s highest honors.

Davis and College of the Ozarks have received many other recognitions, such as the 2015 National Freedom Award, the highest honor given by the United States Department of Defense to employers for support of National Guard and Reserve employees. Under his watchful eye, College of the Ozarks has been noted for its academic excellence, character development, and affordability by several national publications including The Princeton Review Best 373 Colleges, The New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, and Money Magazine. The College has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and on Fox News Network, CBS, ABC, and various national radio networks. U.S. News & World Report has ranked College of the Ozarks a top college in the Midwest since 1989.