North Central College has tapped its provost and vice president for academic affairs to serve as its “transitional” president for the next two years, the Naperville school announced Monday.
Abiódún Gòkè-Pariolá’s selection comes as Anita Thomas, who was named North Central’s 11th president in July 2023, departs the post after just a year.
Thomas had been on a leave of absence and earlier this month the college’s Board of Trustees announced she would not be returning once that leave ends July 30. The reason for Thomas’ initial leave or why she won’t be returning has not been publicly disclosed.
North Central College and Gòkè-Pariolá did not immediately return requests for comment. Thomas was reached by phone Monday but denied comment.
In its release Monday, the college announced the board unanimously appointed Gòkè-Pariolá “for a transitional period.” A national presidential search for the next president will not start before spring 2026 so “there can be a focus on important priorities facing the college and higher education at this time.”
Gòkè-Pariolá has been North Central’s provost and vice president for academic affairs since 2015.
“It is truly an honor to serve North Central College in this new capacity and I’m grateful to the Board of Trustees for their confidence in me to lead the institution forward,” Gòkè-Pariolá said in the release. “I know firsthand the commitment of our faculty and staff, their deep knowledge and expertise, and, above all, their dedication to our students.”
As president, Gòkè-Pariolá said he is “looking forward to championing (students’) great work and to spending more time engaging with students to ensure that they have the tools and support they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom, and beyond North Central College.”
Before coming to North Central, Gòkè-Pariolá was provost and vice president for academic affairs at Queens University of Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. At Queens, he also served as acting president for a period of time.
Gòkè-Pariolá earned his bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Ife in Nigeria, now known as Obafemi Awolowo University. He received his doctorate in English language and literature from the University of Michigan.
For weeks now, Gòkè-Pariolá had been serving as acting president in Thomas’ absence.
College trustees unanimously appointed Thomas as president last summer after a nationwide search. She succeeded Troy Hammond, who served as North Central president for a decade before announcing his resignation in June 2022.
Thomas was the first woman and person of color to lead North Central in its 163-year history.
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