The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors has appointed Richard Linton as the university’s 17th president.
Linton will succeed Tim Sands, who will continue to serve as president until Linton assumes office at the beginning of the 2027 spring semester. Linton, an alumnus who received his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and Ph.D. from Virginia Tech, currently serves as president of Kansas State University.
Linton will succeed Tim Sands, who will continue to serve as president until Linton assumes office at the beginning of the 2027 spring semester.
“Virginia Tech is poised to make a generational leap as a public research university, and Richard Linton is the right leader to guide us forward,” said Jim Miller, rector of the Board of Visitors. “As a Hokie, Richard has a deep appreciation for what makes this university and its community so special. His extensive leadership experience, a career dedicated to land-grant institutions, and a strong commitment to fostering a culture of service uniquely position him to lead Virginia Tech into its next chapter. We look forward to welcoming Richard and his wife, Sally, home to Blacksburg.”
“My 40-year journey in the land-grant system began at Virginia Tech,” said Linton. “Having earned three degrees here, the opportunity to return home and serve as president of my alma mater is a true honor. I look forward to reconnecting with the Hokie community and working together to build on Virginia Tech’s proud land-grant legacy, embrace new opportunities, and expand our impact across the commonwealth and beyond.”
Before joining Kansas State University, Linton served as dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University (2012-2022), department chair of food science and technology at The Ohio State University (2011-2012), and a faculty member in the Department of Food Science at Purdue University (1994-2011). At Purdue, Linton was the founding director of the Center for Food Safety Engineering and the associate director of agricultural research programs.
Governor Abigail Spanberger congratulated Linton on his appointment and thanked Sands for his service.
“Congratulations to Dr. Richard Linton on being selected to serve as the 17th President of Virginia Tech,” she said. “Dr. Linton’s distinguished career in food science – driving agricultural innovation and combating food insecurity – and extensive experience in academic leadership reflect Virginia Tech’s longstanding commitment to cutting-edge research, service, and real-world impact.”
“I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to outgoing President Tim Sands for his unwavering dedication and steadfast commitment to serving students, faculty, and the broader Blacksburg community. His years of service have left a lasting, positive mark on the university and the Commonwealth as a whole.”
“I look forward to working with Dr. Linton to make sure Virginia Tech receives the support it needs from the state as we focus on preparing students from across the Commonwealth for lifelong success. As a three-time Hokie — having earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Blacksburg — Dr. Linton brings a deep understanding of the institution he will now lead. Guided by the university’s enduring motto, ‘Ut Prosim,’ Virginia Tech continues to be a pillar of excellence in higher education, and I am confident that Dr. Linton’s leadership will help propel the university to even greater heights.”
Congressman Morgan Griffith also congratulated Linton and thanked Sands.
“I am truly excited by the new president being a three-time Hokie, having received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees all from Virginia Tech. And his strong background in agriculture makes him a good fit for Virginia Tech.
“My strong relationship with Virginia Tech is grounded in promoting its leading academic and research programs. With the announcement of Dr. Richard Linton as the next Virginia Tech president, I look forward to continuing this positive relationship.
“Additionally, I join the Virginia Tech family in thanking President Sands for his service to our professors, researchers and students.”
Linton has also held national leadership roles, including membership on the Food and Drug Administration’s Science Advisory Board and serving as chair for the Binational (Israel/U.S.) Agricultural Research and Development Fund, a position he was appointed to by the U.S. secretary of agriculture in 2018.
Linton earned his bachelor’s degree in biology (1988), master’s degree in food science (1991), and Ph.D. in food science (1994) at Virginia Tech. Linton participated in the Food Systems Leadership Institute from 2009 to 2011 and completed the Harvard Graduate School’s Institutional Educational Management Program in 2018.
Linton’s wife, Sally, will join Virginia Tech as university ambassador and first lady. The Lintons have two children: a daughter, Lily, and a son, Chris.
Staff report
