Man of many hats: Illinois State University president newest title for Dr. Aondover Tarhule

When Dr. Aondover Tarhule arrives for a campus event or an important meeting, he turns from the driver’s seat of his SUV to access a makeshift mobile closet stocked with his trademark accessory. In neat stacks spread across the backseat are hats of all varieties and colors. He chooses the one that best fits the occasion. 

“It’s my signature style,” Tarhule said, smiling and lightly touching the brim of his hat. “But there’s a practical purpose, too, especially when it’s hot, and it’s a good reminder that I wear a lot of hats in this job.”

The style was born when Tarhule, Illinois State’s provost at the time, was gifted a Panama hat from Oscar León, rector at Quality Leadership University, a school that partners with Illinois State to offer an international business program in Panama City. 

“I put it on and thought, ‘Oh, this is cool,’” Tarhule said. “I wore it around campus, and people kept telling me they liked it, so I just kept wearing it.”

Tarhule’s collection of hats has grown. About a dozen reside in the backseat now. The number of figurative hats he’s worn has grown over time, too, through leadership roles at the University of Oklahoma, Binghamton University, and Illinois State. 

Tarhule is a former first-generation college student who has earned four academic degrees. He is a prolific researcher and widely published scholar. He’s been a professor and a department chair. He’s been a dean and a provost and an interim president. Through almost all of it, he’s been a husband and a father.  

Now he’ll cap his career in academia as Illinois State University’s 21st president. 

Tarhule sat down with State magazine to talk about his appointment, the future of Illinois State University, and the many hats he’ll wear as president. (Note: This Q&A was edited for brevity.) 

Q&A

Congratulations on your appointment. How does it feel?

It’s very humbling, very exciting, in some ways almost surreal. I could never have imagined this is where my path was going to take me. It’s very exciting because of all the great opportunities we have here. 

What do you consider your most essential functions as president?

Communication. Outreach. Strategic thinking. Fundraising. There are a lot. You have to be the chief advocate for the University, chief fundraiser for the University, the face of the University. You have to be the person who communicates the strategic direction and priorities of the University both to internal and external constituents. 

Where does your work begin? 

I’ve been doing this for about a year now, but this appointment clarifies some things, and I think now we can set strategic priorities and direction. The first thing I must do is meet with the board to get a good sense for what their goals are, the things they would like me to accomplish, and then I will meet with the cabinet to set the goals and direction going forward. 

What are the long-term goals for your presidency? 

Every day you see in the news another university facing financial distress. So, one of our highest priorities is making sure ISU does not face that fate. Keeping ISU fiscally strong and thriving and resilient—and navigating some very difficult challenges—is really important.

Almost as important and closely related to that is enrollment. A lot of universities are facing enrollment declines. In the past four years, 50 universities have closed, and that’s mostly because of enrollment or financial challenges. Now, these are mostly small, private universities, and we’re not in that class by any means, but we’re also not immune to some of these challenges. So, the most important priority is to keep us fiscally strong, resilient, and prepare us for the challenges ahead.  

How does Illinois State address those challenges? 

We’re on a strong foundation right now. We can take steps that will help us avoid some of the challenges that other universities have encountered, and we know we have to adapt. Every institution has to adapt to this unfolding landscape. For some, it’s a little bit late because they’re already in a crisis mode. We are not in a crisis situation, but we have an opportunity to make the right decisions now to avoid getting into that situation. 

What opportunities should Illinois State be pursuing?

Some things are already started, like creating new academic programs. Of course, engineering is coming, but we’re working on other programs like the M.S. in physics, we’re creating the School of Creative Technologies, and expanding nursing. So, we’re already taking steps in expanding academic programs, but there are other areas we need to look at.

We have a budgeting model that I think many people would agree is overdue for an overhaul. We have a strategic plan that is coming up here that gives us a great opportunity to rethink where we would like to be several years from now. We’re also due for discussions about the next fundraising campaign. The last campaign was extremely successful, and that’s helped create a really strong foundation, but now we need to think about how we leverage that.

I’m also interested in exploring the idea of a Redbird promise program that will allow students with financial limitations who are eligible and meet certain qualifications to be able to afford an Illinois State University experience. 

How will you support student health and well-being?

I’m very proud of what we have done, but obviously there’s more we can do. We’ve built a one-stop shop for student mental health support and resources, added a case management system that is earning national attention, and there are conversations about creating some wellness days being led by students. So, there are a variety of things we’ve already done, but we’re also being extremely observant and thoughtful and proactive in identifying students who need help and making sure they get that, because this is one of the major crises of our times. 

Why did you seek a college education? Were your motivations the same as students today?

I give a lot of credit to my parents. They never went to school—they didn’t even have one year of elementary education—but my father was such a strong advocate for school. Education was his highest priority and aspiration for us, and he just kept pushing. As I got into school, I liked it, I enjoyed it, and I was relatively good at it, so I just kept going.

Students now come to education from different backgrounds, and for some, their parents are big motivators. But there are others who are motivated because they know it’s one of the best ways for gaining social mobility. Many are quite aware that the skills they can get from education are going to be important to their success.

What role do alumni play in shaping the future of Illinois State?

Alumni are some of our best ambassadors. We have many legacy students, and that’s a function of the support from alumni. It’s amazing when people tell me they have 15 degrees from Illinois State in their family. That says a lot, because people who come here like it, they speak well of it, and they’re supportive of their family and friends coming to Illinois State.

So, that continued championing on behalf of Illinois State is invaluable, and there are so many who continue to support us with their hard-earned dollars or their time or simply by spreading the word about what a great institution this is. Alumni are one of our greatest strengths. 

You’ve attended, worked at, and visited universities all over the world. What makes Illinois State special?

The support and the interest that the entire community has in the success of Illinois State is unmatched. And I don’t say that lightly. I’ve been to many other schools, but here is a place where everybody is truly invested in the success of this university. It’s something I noticed almost immediately when I came here as provost, and it’s something that I’ve seen even more in the four years I’ve been here.

The people who work here, students, alumni, the community—everybody wants the University to succeed. They are very committed, and they put their resources, support, time, and energy into making sure this university succeeds. That is special and something that I haven’t seen anywhere else, and it’s something that makes my position that much more exciting.