The Board of Trustees of Wake Forest University announced the appointment of Peter Rodriguez as the University’s 15th President. A distinguished economist and transformative academic leader, Rodriguez currently serves as the dean of Rice University’s School of Business, which includes the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business. He will begin his presidency at Wake Forest on July 1, 2026. 

“The Presidential Search Committee unanimously agreed that Peter Rodriguez was the best choice to lead Wake Forest into its third century,” said Jeanne Whitman Bobbitt (’79, MBA ’87), co-chair of the Presidential Search Committee and chair of the Board of Trustees. “During the search process, we came to know Dr. Rodriguez as a scholar and an intellectually capable, avid learner and researcher. He is a leader of principle, character and kindness who has the mind and temperament for the complexities of modern higher education. We are delighted he has agreed to join our community.”

Rodriguez brings decades of expertise in international trade, economic history and public finance to Wake Forest. His storied career is defined by a commitment to academic excellence, diversity and global engagement. At Rice University, where he has served as dean and professor of strategy since 2016, he led the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business to new heights of national prominence and started the Virani Undergraduate School of Business.

“Peter is a trained economist who has an insatiable curiosity and strategic mind,” said Curt Farmer (’84, MBA ’91, P ’16, P ’17), co-chair of the Presidential Search Committee and vice chair of the Board of Trustees. “We were impressed by his academic credentials, business acumen, steady leadership, and reputation for strong relationships across his various campuses. He is an attentive and responsive leader who demonstrates excellence and humility.”

Wake Forest is an institution of high quality that makes a genuine difference in the world. It is the honor of my career to join the Wake Forest community as its next president. I look forward to getting to know the people who make up this special place and working together to advance the aspirations and ambitions of the University.

Dr. Peter Rodriguez

Academic leadership

In 2025, Poets&Quants named Rodriguez its Dean of the Year because of his transformative work at Rice. During his tenure as dean, he doubled MBA enrollment and increased the number of tenure-track faculty by more than 40%. He introduced Rice’s first online graduate degree and launched the Hybrid MBA program. Under his leadership, McNair Hall was renovated, and construction began on a second building, scheduled to open in 2026. He also oversaw the founding of the business major in 2021 and the naming of the Virani Undergraduate School of Business in 2024. Additional accomplishments include forming a new operations faculty group, launching the faculty insights magazine Rice Business Wisdom, expanding Rice’s entrepreneurship initiatives and integrating a global field experience into the curriculum for every MBA student. 

Prior to his time at Rice, Rodriguez served as professor, senior associate dean for MBA programs and chief diversity officer for the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. His research interests include corruption, globalization, economic development and social institutions. His extensive academic background also includes serving as associate dean for international affairs and director of the Tayloe Murphy International Center. He worked for several years as an associate in the Global Energy Group at JPMorgan Chase. 

At Texas A&M, he held positions as an assistant professor in the department of management and an adjunct professor at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service. Earlier in his career, he served as a lecturer and research assistant at Princeton University within the department of economics and the Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs.

Distinguished scholarship and service

An accomplished researcher, Rodriguez has published extensively on topics including government corruption, the impacts of NAFTA and international business strategy. He is also a sought-after voice in the media, providing expert commentary on the global economy for Bloomberg Markets, CNBC and PBS.

His service extends far beyond the classroom. Rodriguez currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (Houston Branch) and as a member of the Board of Directors for Texas 2036. His dedication to inclusive excellence has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Multicultural Leadership Award from the Texas Diversity Council.

Deeply rooted educational foundation

A recipient of numerous teaching awards from Princeton, Texas A&M and the University of Virginia, Rodriguez holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University and a B.S. in economics from Texas A&M. While at Princeton, he studied under Ben Bernanke, former chairman of the Federal Reserve.

“As a professor in a humanities discipline, I am delighted by Peter’s clear appreciation for the arts and humanities,” said Kendall Tarte, professor of French Studies and member of the Search Committee. “More broadly, he deeply values academics. He gets energized when talking about teaching and understands what makes the Wake Forest undergraduate experience special.”

A Texas native, Rodriguez grew up in a household that valued education; his father was a college chemistry professor, and his mother was an elementary school teacher. He initially entered college planning to become a doctor to follow a traditional path of helping people, but he quickly realized his true passion was the logic of economics, history and organizations.

Rodriguez and his wife, Kathleen, who is a third-grade teacher, have three grown children: Gabriella, Sam and Michael. 

Rodriguez succeeds Susan R. Wente, who has served as the University’s president since 2021.