Dr. Virginia M. Fraire and Dr. Richard Rhodes to serve as trustees for National University, bringing decades of experience in higher education leadership, innovation, and advocacy
SAN DIEGO, CA (February 14, 2025) — National University (NU) —a nonprofit veteran-founded institution serving more than 50,000 students annually through its degree programs and 80,000 more through its workforce and professional training programs—today announced that it will welcome two new members to its board of trustees: Dr. Virginia M. Fraire and Dr. Richard Rhodes.
“Dr. Fraire and Dr. Rhodes bring invaluable expertise in expanding access and fostering success for the hardworking students that we serve at National University,” said Dr. Mark D. Milliron, president and CEO of National University. “Their leadership will help us advance our mission of empowering working adults, military learners, and others balancing education with life’s responsibilities to achieve their educational and career aspirations.”
- Dr. Virginia M. Fraire is a leader with 30 years of experience driving change in higher education and EdTech. She has led transformational changes as former President of Lone Star College-University Park, Vice Provost at the University of Texas at El Paso, and Vice President of Student Affairs at Austin Community College, where she served more than 70,000 learners across 11 campuses. An expert in serving post-traditional learners through integrated academic and student support structures, she led the use of technology and data to expand educational access, increase retention and graduation rates, and align programs with workforce needs.
- Dr. Richard Rhodes is the president of A&M University-Central Texas and brings nearly forty years of experience in higher education leadership and management focused on meeting the needs of students who are working, affiliated with the military, and/or studying part-time and balancing other complex educational and career commitments. Before his current role, he was chancellor of Austin Community College, one of the largest community college districts in Texas. During his tenure, ACC grew to 11 campuses, successfully secured the passage of two public financing bonds totaling approximately $1 billion, and launched the pioneering ACCelerator project, transforming a former shopping mall into an innovative center offering holistic student support services and academic advising.
NU is an access and success innovator with an extremely diverse student population of nontraditional and underserved learners from many walks of life. Approximately half of NU’s undergraduates are active-duty military, Veterans, and their dependents. NU is the largest conferrer of graduate degrees to minority students in the United States, with over 50 percent of graduates being women. The university is the third largest conferrer of doctoral degrees overall.
The National University Board of Trustees oversees National University and plays an integral role in shaping the quality and character of the University and steering its future course. Trustees are recognized leaders in their communities and individually respected in fields such as business, education, the law, and the arts. NU’s existing Board of Trustees includes:
- Dr. Ruthann Heinrich, National University Board Chair, President at Nuance Wines
- Dr. E. Lee Rice, National University Board Vice Chair, CEO and Medical Director at the Lifewellness Institute
- Mr. Richard Chisholm, National University Board Treasurer, Managing Director at Banc of America Securities
- Ms. Lee Wills-Irvine, National University Board Secretary, Director of Global Diversity, and Inclusion at ASML Holding
- Ms. Stacy Allison, President at Stacy Allison General Contracting
- Mr. Thomas Clevinger, Senior Vice President and General Manager – Global of Navistar, Inc.
- Ms. Jeanne Connelly, President at Connelly Consulting
- Mr. Harold Greenberg, Chair of the Royce Companies
- Dr. Erlinda J. Martinez, Retired President of Santa Ana College
- Mr. Michael McGill, President at MMS Design Associates
- Ms. Joanne M. Pastula, Former President and CEO of Junior Achievement of San Diego
- Mr. Dan Pittard, Chairman and CEO at Pittard Partners LLC
- Mr. Hiep Quach, Financial Executive, Retired
- Mr. Carlos Rodriguez, Rodriguez & Company
- Mr. Thomas Topuzes, President and CEO at Thomas Topuzes & Associates, LLC
- Dr. Mark D. Milliron, President and CEO of National University
About National University: National University, a Veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of nontraditional, working, and military students by providing accessible, affordable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diego’s largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 190 online and on-campus programs with flexible four-week and eight-week classes and one-to-one graduate education models designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to 130,000 learners served per year—50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and professional development students—and 245,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. To learn more about National University’s new possibilities in education including next-generation education, value-rich education, and whole human education, visit NU.edu.