JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Jackson State University (JSU) students, alumni and staff filled the Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center on Friday to officially install Dr. Marcus L. Thompson as the 13th president of the university.

The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Board of Trustees named Thompson as president in November 2023. Thompson began his tenure on November 27, 2023.

During Thompson’s investiture on Friday, he said he wants the university to be the standard for modern, student-driven and community-minded institutions.

“We’re positioning Jackson State in our faculty and staff and students to be leaders in technological advancement, because we cannot be satisfied with the status quo. Our students deserve nothing less than the opportunity to be pioneers in every field that they pursue. Our students deserve nothing but the best,” Thompson stated.

JSU will commemorate the official installation of Thompson with a celebration gala Friday night. The black-tie event will feature performances from SWV and the Isley Brothers.