In a unanimous vote, Richard Linton was appointed Virginia Tech’s 17th president. Linton will begin serving as president in January.
“Returning to Blacksburg as president of this incredible university, for me, is a full-circle moment,” Linton shared.
Linton, 60, will be the third president to graduate from Virginia Tech. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology and his master’s degree and Ph.D. in food science from the university.
“I’m just so incredibly honored and proud when you have an opportunity to be able to come to the place that gave you everything in your career,” Linton said.
After completing his education at Virginia Tech in 1994, Linton taught as a professor at Purdue University until 2011 and founded the Center for Food Safety Engineering at the university. In 2012, Linton was appointed as department chair of food science and technology at Ohio State University. Later, Linton served as the dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University until 2022, when he was appointed to his current position as president of Kansas State University.
Linton is inheriting Virginia Tech amidst a contentious political climate surrounding higher education. Federal pressures from the Trump Administration have led to a decline in graduate enrollment. Fewer students are pursuing graduate degrees because of restrictions on student loans and a decline in federal research funding. Additionally, stricter immigration policies are discouraging international students from applying to graduate programs. Virginia Tech experienced a 14% decline in graduate student enrollment in the recent fall 2026 admission cycle.
As president of Kansas State University, Linton emphasized honoring the university’s land-grant mission. Land-grant universities like Virginia Tech honor accessible education, research and community service. At Kansas State, Linton enacted this mission: increasing enrollment, implementing a 30% increase in research expenditures and proposing a $40 million campus development plan. Linton shared that he plans to continue growing Virginia Tech’s research investment as president. Linton is revered for his entrepreneurial mindset and also plans to continue strengthening Virginia Tech’s relationship with the New River Valley community and workforce.
Linton will be succeeding president Tim Sands. Serving the Virginia Tech community for nearly 12 years, Sands is notable for prioritizing research and building industry partnerships. Sands, 68, spearheaded significant expansion in Blacksburg, increased enrollment and made Virginia Tech a powerhouse for research. Sands said that Linton will bring expertise from working at four land-grant universities and noted the perks of Linton’s familiarity with the institution, sharing that Linton “really understands what it means to be a Go back.” After Linton’s transition, Sands is unsure whether he will remain university faculty or retire and spend time with his seven grandchildren. Sands will remain at Virginia Tech for 6-12 months as Linton transitions.
Before you go…
Professional journalism is the cornerstone of democracy. The support of our readers allows us to deliver on our promise of quality, local, student-led journalism.
Please consider donating today!
The Collegiate Times encourages reader feedback and dialogue. Please rate this article and continue the discussion on social media.