Keynote speaker 

Dr.Michael Rao, President of Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health System

Michael Rao, Ph.D, serves as president of Virginia Commonwealth University and VCU Health System. Under President Rao’s leadership since 2009, VCU and VCU Health are modeling the future of a truly public research university and health system by putting the changing needs of students and patients first with a focus on accessibility, excellence and impact.

During President Rao’s tenure, VCU has raised graduation rates by double digits, greatly increased financial aid, raised patient satisfaction, nearly doubled sponsored research funding, and brought to Richmond a comprehensive children’s hospital. VCU is a National Science Foundation-ranked top 50 public research university, and is also ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top 20 most innovative public colleges in the U.S. and in the top fifth of global universities. Richmond’s VCU Medical Center is ranked the No. 1 hospital in Richmond and is the only Level I trauma center in the region that is verified in burn and pediatric and adult trauma care. 

VCU has won the Excellence in Diversity award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for five years in a row, and VCUarts Qatar is internationally recognized for excellence in art and design. Sitting at the nexus of access and excellence, VCU is a unique mix of high-impact research, academics and health care, paired with a diverse student population. President Rao is immediate past chair of the nonprofit American Council on Education and a board member with the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities, for whom he serves as representative for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. He and his wife Monica, a native of Bombay, India, have two sons.