On April 2, in a special Board of Trustees meeting, then-Interim President Steven Bridges was unanimously voted to be USI’s fifth president. President Bridges was surrounded by his wife, their three adult children and their spouses, as well as his four grandchildren. The family currently resides in Henderson, Kentucky.
Bridges graduated in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and then again with his master’s degree in business administration in 1995. After graduating in 1989, he began his tenure by working as a Staff Accountant before quickly climbing up the ladder to administrative positions. Over the last 35 years, Bridges has served as Controller and Assistant Business Office Director, Banner Project Manager, Controller and Business Office Director, Assistant Vice President for Finance and Administration and Assistant Treasurer, and an interim appointment as Associate Vice President for Operations and Assistant Treasurer. In 2015, he was appointed to serve as the Vice President for Finance and Administration (VPFA), a position he held until his April 2 appointment as University President.
After the vote to appoint Bridges as University President, he reminisced on the past four decades with the university. He mentioned the academic changes, athletic advancements, infrastructure progress, and even his four predecessors– all of whom he worked alongside. Bridges even became a bit teary-eyed, thanking the students and faculty for giving him “the desire to want to fulfill this position.”
“You’ve given me the air under my wings to fight for this position for us,” Bridges said. “This family approach we’re going to take to this job is important to me.”
Bridges is a first-generation college graduate, who values the importance of education. In a media-exclusive press conference following the vote, he emphasized the university’s plan for continuing student success. He announced that the university plans to enhance connections with the business community, something that he has been working on over the last few months.
He also expressed his excitement to fully transition to a NCAA Division I athletic status, stating, “We’re going to continue the financial stewardship that has been the hallmark and foundation of this institution.”
A main focus of Bridges during his term as president is to increase enrollment and to empower the business community at USI.
“For me, enrollment and reconnecting with businesses and helping to drive the talent pipeline that we need in this area is critical,” Bridges said. He also indicated the need for USI to become a “driver of applied research,” which is something he is prepared to find the help and resources for.
The Shield asked Bridges how he would handle upcoming political controversies– such as, DEI, deportation and censorship– that have an effect on university faculty and students.
Bridges said the university has been working at the state government level to position itself for any impacts that are to come following a new federal government administration.
“We do not have a chief diversity officer, for instance, at this point– that’s been something that has been a concern at the state and federal level,” Bridges said.
He said the university works to make all students feel welcome, noting the multicultural center as a resource for students with diverse backgrounds. “It’s about student success– students of all races, all colors, all origin, whether it’s urban or rural students. We’re here to do that, and we have a support network already in place.”
Bridges also announced that the university has met with international students and an immigration attorney to ensure that “everything is in order.”
Towards the end of the press conference, Bridges acknowledged his “full circle moment,” deeming it “surreal.”
“There’s a photo on my desk of Dr. Rice handing me my diploma in 1989 and I set that there to remind me of who we are and where we came from,” Brides said. “I was the student this institution was founded to serve, and I will lead our group with that mindset.”
