Radford University chooses new president

Bret S. Danilowicz is provost at Florida Atlantic University

Published December 9, 2021 by Richard Foster

Radford University’s eighth president will be Bret S. Danilowicz, who’s currently serving as the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.

Danilowicz, who starts his tenure at Radford on July 1, 2022, succeeds Brian O. Hemphill, who left in June to become president of Old Dominion University in Norfolk.

“[Danilowicz] is a proven leader and possesses the background and experience required to take us to the next level and into the future. He clearly demonstrated to both the search committee and the board of visitors his energy and commitment to higher education, as well as his lifelong goal of becoming a president of a major university such as Radford,” said Robert A. Archer, rector of Radford’s board of visitors. “I am convinced that Dr. Danilowicz, along with his wife Kay, are a perfect fit for Radford and for the extended Radford community.”

“Being an undergraduate-focused, comprehensive institution, Radford University plays a critical role in higher education for the commonwealth of Virginia,” Danilowicz said in a statement. “Having already developed a strong reputation for high-quality and innovative instruction, Radford is furthering its distinctive mission by strengthening its focus on diversity, sustainability and economic development. Through the search process, I have become enamored by its mission, its dedicated faculty, staff and alumni, and the students that it serves. Kay and I cannot wait to immerse ourselves in the New River Valley community and meet our new Highlander family!”

In his present role, which he has held since 2018, Danilowicz is the chief academic officer and administrative officer for a large public research university with a $330 million budget and 10 academic colleges. Prior to joining Florida Atlantic, Danilowicz was dean of Oklahoma State University’s College of Arts and Sciences.

Danilowicz holds a doctor of philosophy degree in zoology from Duke University, an MBA from George Southern University and a master’s degree from The Open University in England. He received his bachelor’s degree from Utica College of Syracuse University in New York.

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