Aondover Tarhule is the New Leader of Illinois State University

The board of trustees of Illinois State University announced that vice president for academic affairs and provost Aondover Tarhule will assume the role of interim president, effective immediately. Terri Goss Kinzy, president of Illinois State University, recently resigned from her post after less than two years on the job. No explanation was given for the resignation. Dr. Tarhule’s appointment is effective through June 30, 2024.

Illinois State University enrolls nearly 18,000 undergraduate students and more than 2,500 graduate students, according to the most recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Education. African Americans make up 10 percent of the undergraduate student body.

“I am humbled that the board of trustees has asked me to serve as interim president. I accept this great honor with humility,” said Dr. Tarhule. “The university has a long-standing reputation for excellence, and I look forward to working with my colleagues across campus to further raise Illinois State’s reputation.”

Dr. Tarhule joined Illinois State University as vice president for academic affairs and provost in 2020. His immediate prior administrative appointment was vice provost and dean of the Graduate School at Binghamton University of the State University of New York System. Before that, he was executive associate dean and department chair of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences at the University of Oklahoma.

Dr. Tarhule earned a bachelor’s degree in geography and a master’s degree in environmental resources planning from the University of Jos in Nigeria. He holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in geography from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.