The University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Steven J. Bridges as USI’s fifth President, effective immediately. Bridges has served as Interim President since July 20, 2024. The announcement was made at a special session of the Board on Wednesday, April 2.
“The USI Board of Trustees has unanimously voted to appoint Steve Bridges as our fifth President,” said Christine Keck, Chair of the USI Board of Trustees. “I congratulate Steve not only for his outstanding service as our Interim President since July 2024, but for his prior decades of dedicated service to USI. He is taking on this role at a critical and exciting time for USI, as we fully transition to Division I athletics and set our sights on even further excellence in all aspects of our operation. Steve has the full confidence of the USI Board of Trustees and the skills, integrity and vision to lead USI well into the future.”
Bridges, a two-time USI alumnus, is the first member of the USI alumni to serve as President of the University. He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1989 and master’s degree in business administration in 1995.
He joined USI as a Staff Accountant in 1989 and went on to serve in leadership positions with increasing responsibilities, including Controller and Assistant Business Office Director, Banner Project Manager, Controller and Business Office Director, Assistant Vice President for Finance and Administration and Assistant Treasurer, and an interim appointment as Associate Vice President for Operations and Assistant Treasurer. Since April 2015, he served as the Vice President for Finance and Administration (VPFA), the University’s chief business and fiscal officer.
During his 36-year tenure at USI, he was responsible for business operations of the Finance and Administration function of the University, including the Budget Office, Business Office (Accounting, Accounts Payable, Bursar’s Office and USI Campus Store), Facility Operations and Planning, Foundation Accounting, Human Resources, Information Technology, Internal Audit, Procurement Services (Risk Management and Travel Services) and Public Safety. He also provided leadership for student loan accounting and collections, investment management accounting, debt management and accounting, auxiliary accounting, property accounting, completion of University financial statements and served as the business liaison for food services.
“Being selected as the fifth President of the University of Southern Indiana is the greatest honor of my career,” said Bridges. “To have worked and served alongside each of our past presidents over my nearly 36-years at USI is humbling. As President, I will be a history-driven and forward-thinking leader. The extraordinary education I received at USI has prepared me well and will continue to take center stage for our students. As a Screaming Eagle and one of 54,000 plus alumni, I am determined to continue to share the care and concern I received as a student and am proof of the transformative nature of higher education. USI is a big piece of my heart, and I am so proud to continue to serve the institution as President.”
The Presidential Search Committee and Board of Trustees carried out a nationwide search for the role, attracting a diverse pool of highly qualified candidates. These candidates included current university presidents, provosts, deans and student affairs executives, as well as executives from industries beyond higher education.
“The USI Presidential Search Committee poured through nearly 100 well-qualified resumes from national candidates,” remarked Christina Ryan, Chair of the USI Presidential Search and First Vice Chair of the USI Board. “After a rigorous process, the Committee put forward an accomplished slate of candidates for full Board of Trustees consideration. I am delighted that Steve Bridges, an outstanding USI alumnus and person of character, rose to the top of the list.”
During his time as VPFA, Bridges completed the largest single bond issuance in the history of the University and completed an auxiliary system bond issuance that was briefly the lowest rate in the history of state of Indiana higher education bond issuance. During the COVID-19 pandemic, decades of fiscal stewardship resulted in no layoffs or terminations at the University, when that was not the case for many in the higher education sector.
Bridges was instrumental in implementing the campus-wide Banner system, an administrative software application, on schedule, on budget and with very limited scope creep. He has also chaired numerous committees that advanced and supported the institution’s fiscal responsibilities.
He is invested in uplifting area youth and has been a dedicated supporter of Girl Scouts of Southwest Indiana since 1999, serving as Finance/Audit Committee Chair, Long-Range Property Plan Committee Member and Treasurer. He also is a member of the WNIN Board, Ohio Valley Conference Board of Presidents, Evansville Regional Economics Partnership Board and Holy Name Church Finance Committee and Chair of the Central Association of College and University Business Officers Audit Committee.
Bridges resides in Henderson, Kentucky, with his wife Rosemary. They have three adult children and four grandchildren with a fifth on the way.
