Dr. Brad Hodson became the nineteenth president of Southeast Missouri State University on July 1, 2025.

Hodson previously served as executive vice president of his alma mater Missouri Southern State University since 2015. During his tenure there, he led the admissions team to the largest enrollment in MSSU history in 2016 and the four largest first-time/full-time classes in university history in 2015-2018. He was actively engaged in working with elected officials and developing legislative priorities that resulted in a core $2 million increase for the university as well as funding for critical deferred maintenance and a $30 million in appropriations for a health science innovation center. Hodson also led an increase to philanthropic gift revenue to the Missouri Southern Foundation of more than 1,500% over eight years.

Prior to Missouri Southern, Hodson served as the vice president for advancement at Pittsburg State University. There, he oversaw fundraising, alumni and constituent relations, public relations and marketing, career services, public broadcasting, economic development and applied research efforts. He also served as head of the university’s foundation where he led a successful $120 million comprehensive fundraising campaign.

Hodson has also held positions at Eastern Michigan University and the University of Central Missouri. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Missouri Southern State University in economics and finance, an MBA from Pittsburg State University, and a Ph.D. in higher education leadership from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Hodson and his wife, Sue, have four adult children.