Jak Tichenor will serve as the interim director for the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute starting Nov. 1, according to a university news release.

Tichenor will replace director David Yepsen, who served as director for seven years and is due to retire Oct. 31. Tichenor is a two-time SIUC graduate, obtaining his bachelor’s in radio-television and later a master’s in public visual communications.

“Jak has devoted his career to educating residents of our region and throughout the state about important public policy matters, and that experience and expertise make him an excellent fit for the institute,” interim Chancellor Brad Colwell said in the release.

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Tichenor has spent nearly 34 years working for WSIU Public Broadcasting, serving as a senior producer for 24 years. He retired in May.

“I was thunderstruck,” Tichenor said. “It’s a tremendous honor, but at the same time, it’s an enormous responsibility because of the work that’s been done there.”

The university plans to conduct a national search for a permanent director.

Cory Ray can be reached at [email protected], on Twitter @coryray_DE or at 618-536-3326.

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