Joined RVA757 Connects: 2021

Makola M. Abdullah began his VSU career in February 2016. 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 20 years.

The University also increased the 4-year graduation rate to the highest recorded rate in the University’s history. Virginia State University also placed in ESSENCE magazine’s top 20 “Best Colleges for African Americans” and in U.S. News and World Report’s “Top 30 in the Best Overall HBCUs for 2022”.

During his tenure at VSU, President Abdullah has become a national leader-fighting on the behalf of the transformative work of Virginia State University and all HBCUs.