Michael Rao, Ph.D., became the fifth president of Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU Health System in 2009 and has continued to cement VCU’s place among the nation’s premier urban, public research universities. Under the Quest for Distinction strategic plan, Rao is piloting strategic efforts focused on academic quality, student success and research that foster regional economic development and improve lives.
The innovation and entrepreneur ecosystem in Richmond is thriving. And that is, in part, because of the strong universities and corporations that call Richmond home. As the president of Virginia