SU president no stranger to overcoming obstacles

* By JORDAN BLUM

* Advocate Capitol News Bureau

* Published: Aug 9, 2010

When Ronald Mason Jr. first walked into the interview, Tom Layzell said he knew he was the right man to lead Jackson State University.

"He is knowledgeable: he's tough; he's very smooth," said Layzell, who was then Mississippi's commissioner of higher education. "It's the way he carried himself"

Ten years later, Mason is the new president of the Southern University System and Layzell is Louisiana's new interim higher education commissioner. Layzell again believes Mason is the right person for the job.

(Full story) http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/100238564.html?showAll=y&c=y