August 16, 2021 – Present
Richard McCullough became the 16th president of Florida State University in August 2021, bringing more than three decades of academic leadership experience. Under his tenure, FSU has achieved record student success, rapid research growth, historic rankings, and significant campus development.
McCullough has strengthened the university by recruiting top faculty and staff, expanding FSU’s research enterprise, enhancing entrepreneurial initiatives, and building strong relationships with government, community, and industry partners. He has also advanced fundraising efforts and supported a highly competitive athletics program.
Under President McCullough’s leadership, FSU has reached its highest national standings in history, including a No. 21 ranking among public universities and No. 51 overall by U.S. News & World Report. The university has also been recognized for exceptional first-year experiences, innovation, and student outcomes. Retention and graduation rates have reached record highs, including a 97% first year retention rate and a 78% four year graduation rate. The six-year graduation rate has climbed to 86%, while the transfer student graduation rate has reached 80%, the highest in the history of the State University System of Florida.
McCullough has overseen the enrollment of highly accomplished freshman classes and strengthened support for first generation and Pell eligible students through programs such as CARE, Quest Scholars, and Illuminate. In addition, FSU has expanded opportunities for high-achieving students through Presidential Scholars and the Honors Program, which is ranked No. 1 in Florida. Doctoral education has also grown, supported by a $10 million university investment.
A proven research leader, McCullough has shepherded extraordinary growth in FSU’s research enterprise, increasing research expenditures by nearly 50% since 2021 and reaching a historic $488 million — representing the fastest growth rate in the State University System. Faculty have achieved record proposal submissions and secured major awards, including the $300 million renewal of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. The university increased NIH research expenditures by 40%, with federal research funding surpassing $200 million for the first time, and regional impact has increased through major initiatives such as the $98.4 million Triumph Gulf Coast award for InSPIRE.
One of McCullough’s signature achievements is the creation of FSU Health, launched in 2022 with $125 million in state support to expand healthcare, training, and biomedical research in North Florida. He has advanced key healthcare and research facilities, expanded clinical partnerships, and launched initiatives such as the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases and the Sunshine Genetics Pilot program.
McCullough has strengthened FSU’s legislative presence, securing historic appropriations for research, health, and strategic priorities. Under his leadership, the university surpassed the $1 billion endowment milestone for the first time in its history, bolstered by transformational philanthropic gifts such as $65 million for the Herbert Wertheim Center for Business Excellence and Wertheim College of Business, $10 million to expand the nursing program, and the naming gift for the Anne Spencer Daves College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.
FSU has completed several transformative capital projects during McCullough’s tenure, including the new Student Union and the Interdisciplinary Research and Commercialization Building. The university also celebrated the opening of the Wertheim Center for Business Excellence, the new home of the Wertheim College of Business and the largest academic space on the Tallahassee campus.
McCullough is a national leader advocating significant reform in collegiate athletics, championing reforms that enhance student-athlete experiences, promote financial equity, and strengthen institutional competitiveness. He’s made investments in athletics facilities, including stadium renovations and the construction of the Dunlap Football Center, and launched women’s lacrosse — FSU’s 21st varsity sport. During McCullough’s presidency, FSU teams have captured 20 conference championships and three national titles, while student-athletes across all sports achieved the highest cumulative GPA in university history.
Prior to joining FSU, McCullough served as Harvard University’s vice provost for research and spent 22 years at Carnegie Mellon University in faculty and senior leadership roles. A first generation college student, he earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Dallas and his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University.
He has more than 110 publications, holds 16 U.S. patents, and is an entrepreneur who started two companies. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and was inducted into the Advanced Materials Journal Hall of Fame in 2021, and the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame and the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida, both in 2025. He also is the recipient of the Carnegie Science Center Award for Excellence as a Start-Up Entrepreneur.
He and his wife, Jai Vartikar, have two sons and three granddaughters.