Rice University President Discusses Future of Higher Education Oct. 26 at VSU

Dr. Reginald DesRoches, president of Rice University, discusses “A Vision for the Future of Higher Education” at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, via Microsoft Teams. His presentation is part of Valdosta State University’s 2023-2024 College of Science and Mathematics Seminar Series.

VALDOSTA — Dr. Reginald DesRoches, president of Rice University, discusses “A Vision for the Future of Higher Education” at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, via Microsoft Teams. His presentation is part of Valdosta State University’s 2023-2024 College of Science and Mathematics Seminar Series.

Dr. Pierre-Richard Cornely, dean of VSU’s College of Science and Mathematics, says DesRoches understands the challenges threatening the future of higher education across the country — and he has some advice for how colleges and universities can overcome those challenges. 

“He is one of the youngest presidents at a premier research university that continues to thrive and exceed expectations despite all the challenges impacting institutions of higher education in the United States,” Cornely shares.

Cornely says everyone is invited to listen as DesRoches shares his own experiences overcoming some of the biggest challenges facing higher education, as well as his vision for the future. 

DesRoches became Rice University’s eighth president a little more than a year ago. As the Houston, Texas-based institution of higher education’s chief executive officer, he stands at the helm of the university’s 7,500 students, eight schools, and more than 700 faculty. He also serves as a professor of civil and environmental engineering and a professor of mechanical engineering.

DesRoches joined Rice University as the William and Stephanie Sick dean of engineering at the George R. Brown School of Engineering in 2017. He went on to be named the university’s Howard Hughes provost, a position that allowed him to launch new programs, expand enrollment, and make diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority.

As president he is focused on enabling Rice University to reach a new level of distinction — nationally and internationally — for impactful research, award-winning scholarship, and insightful creative work. He also wants to build graduate programs that are of the same distinction as the university’s top-rated undergraduate programs.

DesRoches was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and grew up in Queens, New York. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Structural Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. His Rice University biography is available at https://profiles.rice.edu/faculty/reginald-desroches.

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