A Brooklyn, New York native, Dr. Kirk A. Nooks was appointed to serve as the President of Gordon State College effective June 1, 2018. His career spans both the private and public sector which leverages over 25 years of education and engineering experience. Before transitioning to a career in higher education, Nooks worked as an engineering project manager at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center and as an account executive with a health benefits consulting company.
As President of Gordon State, Nooks is responsible for a campus of over 3,000 students which has a mission of being a catalyst for exceptional and accessible education, and a vision to elevate the region’s economic prosperity. The institution has been able to make significant strides during his tenure to include:
- Increasing student success indicators (i.e., enrollment, retention and graduation)
- Realizing an increase in need-based scholarships and foundation assets
- Adding new academic programs and sports programs
- Completing capital improvement projects
Nooks serves on national and local boards to include The Chair Academy and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. He has been recognized with several awards to include making the Georgia Trend’s Top 500 Influential Leaders list in 2022. As an author and presenter, he continues to stay active on topics that include college and university leadership, strategic planning and the learning college.
Dr. Nooks holds a doctorate in higher education administration from George Washington University (Washington, D.C.) and an MBA in marketing and a bachelor of science in industrial management from Mercer University (Macon, Ga.). He is a graduate of the Thomas Lakin Institute for Mentored Leadership and a member of the inaugural cohort of the American Council on Education’s Spectrum Leadership Institute.
Nooks is a first-generation college student and graduate. He believes that when institutions put students at the heart of its work, the institution can accomplish anything.
Dr. Kirk A. Nooks and his wife Alison reside in Forsyth, GA with their three children.