Dr. Makola Abdullah

Dr. Makola M. Abdullah began his Virginia State University (VSU) career in February 2016 as the University’s 14th president. With an unwavering dedication and commitment to excellence., he outlined his core beliefs that became the foundation of his work for VSU: beliefs in God, family, the transformative nature of education, and in Virginia State University.

Under President Abdullah’s leadership and guidance, VSU experienced the single largest year-to-year increase in enrollment in more than a decade and the highest retention rate in more than twenty years. VSU also increased the four-year graduation rate to the highest recorded in its history. VSU also placed in ESSENCE magazine’s top 20 “Best Colleges for African Americans” and in U.S. News & World Report’s “Top 30 in the Best Overall HBCUs for 2022”. The University ranked in the top 30 percent in the “Performers on Social Mobility” list, Top 10 in Student Retention Programs at HBCUs, and top 15 percent of Bang-for-your-Buck Institutions in the Southeast Region of the United States. VCU has extended its academic offerings with newly added undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees and offers fully online programs and degrees and a free tuition program for area high school students.

Under Dr. Abdullah’s guidance, VSU’s year-end financial reserves have more than tripled. The University also received a $30 million gift, the largest single donor gift in its history, aiding growing investments from approximately $40 million to $80 million. In addition, under Dr. Abdullah, VSU has more new infrastructure happening concurrently than at any point in its 140-year history. This includes a new 30,000-square-foot admissions building, a research and cooperative extension facility, improvements to Rogers Stadium, and a new $120 million Alfred W. Harris Academic Commons – the largest building ever constructed on the VSU campus. In 2021, VSU also renamed four buildings to honor Black women who have made significant contributions to the University.

In 2018, under the leadership of President Abdullah, VSU successfully completed its reaffirmation of accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The University was reaffirmed for 10 years with no recommendations. The President has led the launch of several major initiatives since taking office, including the establishment of the John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership to assess, develop and empower African American leaders; the establishment of The Center for Policing Leadership and Social Justice, to address the critical divide between law enforcement and communities of color; and the establishment of the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging on campus to promote good relations toward and support for those who may be subject to discrimination.