After 14 years of engaged leadership, Jacksonville University President Tim Cost received one of the city's highest civic honors Tuesday when the Jacksonville City Council presented a formal resolution recognizing his lasting contributions to the University, the Arlington community and the City of Jacksonville.
“It has been a privilege to serve Jacksonville University and the more than 16,000 students who have graduated during my tenure,” said President Tim Cost. “From the beginning, the student has remained at the center of what we do to ensure they become work-ready and world-ready. I am particularly grateful to the City of Jacksonville, City Council and City Hall for their partnership and support over these past 14 years. Some of our most innovative initiatives, such as the growing College of Law downtown, are developments that we are particularly proud to have accomplished together. Jacksonville University has more innovative ideas ahead for how to help Arlington and Jacksonville, such as our youth Sportsplex, to become a truly great destination for people wanting to live, work and study here, and we look forward to bringing those forward in the years to come.”
A 1981 magna cum laude JU graduate, Cost is the first alumnus to serve as the University's president. During his tenure, JU expanded from three colleges, five schools and two institutes to five colleges, nine schools and three institutes, achieving its highest-ever U.S. News & World Report rankings and earning inclusion in Forbes’ America’s Top Colleges list. Cost oversaw the two largest fundraising campaigns in school history, including the recent achievement of the $175 million FUTURE. MADE. comprehensive campaign, the most significant fundraising milestone in JU's history.
Cost and his wife, Stephanie, have also demonstrated their commitment to student success through personal philanthropic investments of more than $10 million to establish the Cost Honors College, which saw its inaugural class of more than 100 students graduate last month. Cost secured the partnership with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) to establish the region’s first four-year medical school. LECOM at Jacksonville University will cut the ribbon on its new facility next month, welcoming its inaugural class this fall. His proactive approach to community investment and development helped attract millions of dollars in private investment throughout the Arlington corridor.
“Tim Cost returned to Jacksonville University with a clear vision, a commitment to excellence and a determination to make a lasting impact,” said Ken Amaro, Jacksonville City Council District 1 representative. “He brought 32 years of global business experience back to his alma mater and put it to work for the students, the institution and the community he loves. Under his leadership, JU became a destination for students seeking a world-class education and a launching pad for careers in fields that are shaping our region's economic future. The City of Jacksonville is stronger, Arlington is stronger and thousands of young people have brighter futures because of Tim Cost’s servant leadership.”
Beginning July 1, Cost will move into the role of University Chancellor, serving the Board of Trustees and working in close collaboration with incoming Interim President Dr. Lisa Sutherland. Bringing more than 20 years of experience spanning higher education and the corporate sector to the role, Dr. Sutherland has been integral to JU's strategic growth since joining the University in 2023.
