Education 2024: MAKOLA M. ABDULLAH

A scan of Abdullah’s accomplishments since joining the public, historically Black university in 2016 makes clear why his résumé includes so many accolades, prestigious board appointments and spots on top 10 and “best of” lists — not to mention a multimillion-dollar contract to stay on as president through 2029.

Under his leadership, VSU has seen enrollment growth and higher student retention, and according to the university, its year-end financial reserves have tripled.

The 140-year-old university has an unprecedented number of capital projects underway, including a 30,000-square-foot admissions building, a research and cooperative extension facility, improvements to Rogers Stadium and the new $120 million Alfred W. Harris Academic Commons. In addition, VSU was tapped in 2023 as the first HBCU selected to host a presidential debate, but the plan was scuttled in May after the Biden and Trump campaigns agreed to change the debate schedule.

A Chicago native, Abdullah has a degree in civil engineering from Howard University and master’s and doctoral degrees from Northwestern University. He also has served on President Joe Biden’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs since 2022 and is chair of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities board.