Another Florida college taps a former state lawmaker to be its next president

Associated Press/Report for America

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Republican former state lawmaker in northwest Florida is poised to become the latest in a string of conservative politicians taking the helm of public colleges and universities in the state. The board of Northwest Florida State College in Niceville announced this week that Mel Ponder is their pick to be the school’s next president. The former state representative has never worked in academia. His highest degree is a bachelor’s in finance. That makes him an outlier among college presidents across the country. Most have doctorates. College board Chair Lori Kelley said she was confident in Ponder’s ability to lead the school.