Roger Williams University President, Ioannia Miaoulis announced on April 21, his retirement effective at the end of the current academic year on May 31, 2026.
Miaoulis served as RWU President since 2019 and expanded the university’s experiential learning opportunities, increased the RWU presence in Providence, and immersed the university deeper into the community with partnerships with local communities and correctional education programs. Miaoulis also helped to secure the university’s historic and largest, $20 million gift to name the Cummings School of Architecture and investment in academic programs, student support, and campus facilities.
“Leading this university has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career,” Miaoulis said in an emailed statement to the university community.
Although Miaoulis encountered challenges and resistance from students, faculty, and staff towards the end of his tenure as President, he still respected the community’s different perspectives: “Over the course of my seven years as president, not every decision has been met with agreement, and at times, there have been moments of tension. I have always respected the dedication and commitment of our community members, even when perspectives differed.”
“A university should be a place where ideas are tested and debated, and I believe those moments, however difficult, came from a shared love for our institution and a desire to move us forward. Our willingness to engage in hard conversations, even when we disagree, speaks to a shared commitment to doing what is best for our students and RWU’s future,” Mialouis wrote.
Mialouis said he continues to be inspired by RWU students, their ambition, and sense of community at Roger Williams and who graduate with valuable lessons and senses of purpose.
RWU Board Chair Heather Boujoulian said, “We are grateful for President Miaoulis’ dedication to Roger Williams University and the many contributions he has made over the past seven years…On behalf of the Board, we thank President Miaoulis for his service and wish him the very best in this next chapter.”
Miaoulis will preside over events and ceremonies through Commencement.
The Board of Trustees has appointed Chief of Staff, Dr. Brian Williams to serve as Interim President beginning June 1.
Williams served as Chief of Staff since 2019 and has worked at RWU since 2017 serving as Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing until 2020 when he stepped into the role as Chief of Staff. Williams worked with the university through the COVID-19 pandemic and possesses deep institutional knowledge and a commitment to the RWU mission, said Boujoulian in an emailed statement from the Board of Trustees.
