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USF Grad Named New President Of Virginia University

Virginia Commonwealth University

USF graduate Michael Rao becomes Virginia Commonwealth University's fifth president in July.

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BY KARIN KAPSIDELIS

Richmond Times-Dispatch

Published: February 21, 2009

A graduate of the University of South Florida will become Virginia Commonwealth University's fifth president.

The VCU board of visitors last night unanimously selected Michael Rao, a 1987 USF chemistry graduate, to succeed Eugene P. Trani on July 1.

Rao, 42, has been president of Central Michigan University, since 2000. By that time he had already become one the nation's youngest college presidents, when he was named chancellor in 1998 of Montana State University-Northern. Before moving to Montana he had served as president of Mission College in Santa Clara, Calif. since 1994.

"He and VCU are about the same age, and they are both now just hitting their stride," said Edward H. Bersoff, the board member who was chairman of the presidential search committee.

Rao and his wife, Monica, were greeted with a standing ovation as they were introduced to faculty, staff and students who crowded into the VCU meeting center to hear the board's decision.

Rao will serve as president of VCU and its health system and will be a tenured professor in the School of Education. He will receive a salary of $488,500. Of that $176,113 will be paid from state funds and $312,387 will come from VCU Health System and private funds.

The son of a physician from India, Rao was born in Boston but grew up in Florida after his father's death. Ten years after graduating magna cum laude from USF, the university's chemistry department named him outstanding alumnus. Rao's doctorate is from the University of Florida,

His wife is a professional watercolorist and graphic designer. They have two sons, Miguel, 9, and Aiden, born May 25.

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