Jeff Abernathy (MA 1987) was inaugurated as the 13th president of Alma College during an April 8, 2011 ceremony that capped a weeklong series of events celebrating the 125th anniversary of the liberal arts college located in the middle of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Prior to his appointment at Alma, Abernathy served as vice president and dean at Augustana College. He joined Augustana in 2004 after serving West Virginia Wesleyan College as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college, prior to which he was a faculty member in English at Illinois College, where he also served as associate dean. Abernathy graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from Longwood College in 1985. He earned a master’s degree in English here at Virginia Commonwealth University in 1987 and a Ph.D. in American literature from the University of Florida in 1991.