Sign In
Free Newsletter
Education 2025: KELLY, REAR ADM. WILLIAM G. (U.S. COAST GUARD, RET.)
After nearly four decades of service in the U.S. Coast Guard, Kelly became CNU’s sixth president in 2023. Founded in 1960 as Christopher Newport College, a two-year branch of William & Mary, CNU is a four-year public university with about 5,000 students. The new Science and Engineering Research Center is under construction and expected to […]
Education 2025: GUIDERA, AIMEE ROGSTAD
In 2021, Guidera was the first state secretary appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a signal of the importance he placed on the post. A proponent of charter schools and parental involvement in education, Guidera is responsible for leading the state’s public schools and has significant influence on postsecondary institutions, including the Virginia Community College System. […]
Education 2025: HEMPHILL, BRIAN O.
Old Dominion merged with Eastern Virginia Medical School in July 2024 to form the largest suite of health care programs in state higher education, with 56 academic programs. Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University received a $20 million gift from Joan Brock and another $20 million gift from Dennis and […]
Education 2025: ROBERTSON, GORDON P.
Robertson became chancellor of the private, conservative Christian university in 2023 following the death at age 93 of his famous and controversial father, Pat Robertson, who founded the school in 1977. Gordon Robertson had succeeded his father in 2007 as president and CEO of Christian Broadcasting Network and host of its flagship weekday news magazine […]
Education 2025: COLLINS, LANCE R.
Collins came to Virginia from Cornell University in August 2020 to build Virginia Tech’s $1 billion Innovation Campus and aid the commonwealth’s efforts to close a regional tech talent gap. The first academic building on the Alexandria campus opened earlier this year, but computer science and engineering students started classes in temporary quarters in 2021. […]
Education 2025: ABDULLAH, MAKOLA M.
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 […]
Education 2025: WILLIAMS, LT. GEN. DARRELL K. (U.S. ARMY, RET.)
Williams served more than 37 years in the U.S. military and in 2022 became president of Hampton University, a private, historically Black university founded in 1868 — and Williams’ alma mater. A retired Army lieutenant general, Williams was the first Black director of the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency, where he oversaw nine supply […]
Education 2025: HENRY, DONNA PRICE
Henry is the college’s first female chancellor since its founding in 1954 as a junior college with two buildings. She presides over a four-year liberal arts college encompassing 396 acres with 26 main buildings, attended by more than 1,900 students. Chancellor since 2013, Henry previously spent 16 years in a variety of positions at Florida […]
Education 2025: CONSTON, MARCIA
Conston became TCC’s sixth president in January 2020. Laser-focused on ensuring student success despite the daunting challenge, she guided the college forward with a strategic plan — Innovate 2026 — and a vision “to be the community’s first choice for education, opportunity, partnership and innovation.” The second largest college in the Virginia Community College System, [&hell[...]
Education 2025: WASHINGTON, GREGORY
In 2020, Washington became the first Black president of Virginia’s largest and most diverse public university. He was previously dean of the University of California, Irvine’s Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science. A first-generation college graduate, Washington holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State U[...]
Education 2025: SCHMIDT, JAMES C.
Hired in March, Schmidt became JMU’s new president in July. He was most recently chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he was recognized as a “stellar fundraiser” and brought in one of the largest gifts in that university’s history: a $70 million athletics donation. Schmidt’s 30-year career in higher education, as well as […]
Education 2025: FITZSIMMONS, TRACY
Shenandoah’s president since 2008, Fitzsimmons joined the private liberal arts school in 2001 as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. This year, the university celebrated its 150th anniversary and had its largest graduating class in history. For the sixth consecutive year, Shenandoah was named a College of Distinction and it opened its Hub […]
