Virginia Commonwealth University students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to meet Michael Rao, Ph.D., who will become VCU's fifth president on July 1, at one of the following sessions:
Monroe Park Campus
Wednesday, March 4, 4:15 p.m.
Sonia Vlahcevic Hall, W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts
MCV Campus
Thursday, March 5, 4 p.m.
Hermes A. Kontos Medical Sciences Building auditorium
Rao will offer remarks and answer questions before meeting faculty, staff and students at receptions following both sessions.
Rao, 42, comes to VCU with the experience of three successful presidencies at universities of increasing size and complexity.
“Michael Rao’s accomplishments are remarkable,” said VCU Rector Tom Rosenthal. “Members of the board, the Presidential Search Committee and others representing university groups who have met Mike are excited about the energy, enthusiasm and intelligence he will bring to VCU as its fifth president.”
Rosenthal said the board’s decision was unanimous and comes after an extensive process that sought input from the entire university community about VCU’s future and the type of person who should be its next president. A 17-member, university-wide presidential search committee used that information as it conducted a national search and forwarded recommendations to the VCU Board of Visitors.
“I am truly honored to be appointed VCU’s next president. This is the only position I have pursued, and it is because VCU is a dynamic and diverse university in a vibrant city,” Rao said. “It is very clear that VCU is an institution of opportunity with great momentum. I am excited to work with all its stakeholders to carry that momentum forward as we fulfill an important mission as a leading urban research university, with high quality, well-integrated academic programs and a preeminent academic medical center.”