Jane Kidd never realized how connected she was to Georgia College & State University.
Her family has roots all over the Milledgeville campus. Russell Auditorium is named for her great-grandfather, Richard B. Russell Sr., Ina Dillard Russell Library is named for her great-grandmother and the Pat Peterson Museum Education Room is named for her cousin.
“I knew that my great-grandfather had had something to do with starting the college and I knew that his daughters had gone to Georgia College and my grandfather’s brother was Senator (Richard B.) Russell,” Kidd said in a phone interview on Tuesday.
Russell was governor of Georgia from 1931-33 and a U.S. senator for nearly 40 years.
Kidd has served on GCSU’s Foundation Board since 2009, joining it after her cousin Hugh Peterson, who also served on the board, said “it’s really important we keep some Russells on the board.”
Kidd, a Crawford resident, is the university’s Alex Gregory Distinguished Fellow and Leader in Residence for the Leadership Program, which is designed to bring “highly experienced leaders” to mentor GCSU students and faculty.
She became interested in the Leadership Program and was then offered the leader in residence position last July. Kidd is expected to visit the campus three to four days a month for guest teaching, classroom visits, consultations with students and other events.
Kidd had several meetings with students last semester, gave two speeches and taught two sessions of the class “Principles of Leadership: How to Change the World.”
She will teach that class on Mondays and Wednesdays this semester in Milledgeville.
“Jane is so gracious and thoughtful in her leadership and an exceptional role model for our students at Georgia College,” Harold Mock, director of leadership programs and assistant professor of history at GCSU, said in a release. “She brings to her role the experiences and expertise she has cultivated over decades of leadership and public service. She has a unique ability to bring people together in service of big ideas. We are so fortunate to have her as our Alex Gregory Distinguished Fellow and Leader in Residence.”
Kidd has held several jobs in a career that spans more than 30 years.
She has been a radio/TV editor, journalist, Lavonia City Council member, vice president at Gehrung Associates, a public relations firm, a campaign manager for Congressman Don Johnson, alumni director at UGA’s Grady College College of Journalism and Mass Communication, director of development at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, a Georgia state representative, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia and special assistant to the president of Piedmont University, among others.
“It's been a combination of PR and marketing and higher education, administration, and then politics on the side,” Kidd said.
Her husband, David, likes to say she just has a short attention span.
“I was very fortunate to grow up in a family that was diverse and had lots of interesting politics in their family,” said Kidd, whose father was Ernest Vandiver, the governor of Georgia from 1959-1963.
Kidd doesn’t know if she will continue the position after her term ends in July, but plans to stay active with GCSU. She is especially excited to work with university President Cathy Cox.
“She's an amazing person,” Kidd said. “I've been on the board with two other presidents, but when Cathy came on, I just got really enthusiastic about her leadership and her ability to take the university to the next level.”