JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – After a nationwide search, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) appointed South Carolina educator Dr. Daniel J. Ennis as the ninth President of Delta State University (DSU).

Ennis currently serves as provost and executive vice president of Coastal Carolina University. He has served in several administrative roles at the university over the past 20 years.

“The positions Dr. Ennis has held at Coastal Carolina have prepared him extremely well to serve as president of Delta State University,” said Trustee Teresa Hubbard, Chair of the Board Search Committee for the Delta State University President Search. “His long tenure there demonstrates how beloved he is by the campus community. His academic credentials, administrative skills, student-centered focus, and ability to connect students, faculty, alumni and the community make him a great fit for the university.”

“I am honored to serve Delta State University. As I have learned more about the university, the Delta region, and the state of Mississippi, I have been inspired by the history, culture, and resilience of the people with whom I will soon work and live. I am committed to helping Delta State University continue to thrive, and my wife and I look forward to becoming members of the community,” said Ennis.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from The College of Charleston, a master’s degree in English from Appalachian State University, and a doctorate in English from Auburn University.

Ennis will be on campus to meet with campus constituency groups in the near future and a full schedule of events will be announced soon. He will begin serving as President of Delta State University on June 1, 2023.