President Aondover Tarhule was appointed the 21st president of Illinois State University on March 18 and, in this episode of Redbird Buzz, he shares what the first few weeks of his presidency have looked like, details of the path he took to get to this point, and how he hopes to create a legacy at the University.
Dr. Tarhule arrived at Illinois State in August of 2020 to serve as vice president for Academic Affairs and provost, was appointed interim president in February of 2023, and is now leading the University in his new role as permanent president. Tarhule, a first-generation college student, holds a Ph.D. in geography and has more than 27 years of experience in higher education in both academic and administrative roles.
Tune into this episode to learn more about Tarhule’s childhood in rural Nigeria, the role his father played in his education and professional trajectory, and the story behind the many hats he wears (both literally and figuratively) on campus. You can also read more about Tarhule in this May’s State magazine.
Redbird Buzz is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts. Transcripts of each episode are available online at Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/Podcast.
