Dr. Abiódún Gòkè-Pariolá Appointed President of North Central College

The Board of Trustees has unanimously appointed Dr. Abiódún “G-P” Gòkè-Pariolá as president of North Central College for a transitional period. The College’s Board does not anticipate beginning a national presidential search before spring 2026 so there can be a focus on important priorities facing the College and higher education at this time.

G-P, as he is affectionately known, is a veteran higher education leader who has served as the College’s provost and vice president for academic affairs since 2015.

“Over the past nine years at North Central College and throughout his 48-year career in higher education, Dr. Gòkè-Pariolá has demonstrated remarkable vision and leadership, and a knack for getting things done,” said Board Chair Michael Naset. “G-P is the right person to lead the College. He has proven his ability to bring people together in pursuit of the College’s mission and in service to its students, and his steady leadership will enable the North Central community to focus on delivering an exceptional student experience.”

During his tenure as the College’s chief academic officer, Dr. Gòkè-Pariolá has initiated and led the expansion of academic offerings, including new undergraduate majors in engineering, neuroscience, environmental studies, health science, and nutrition, and a growing suite of graduate health science programs, including Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Physical Therapy, Athletic Training, and Nursing. He has overseen the thoughtful construction and renovation of several academic facilities on campus to better serve faculty, staff, and students; and he led the transition from trimesters to semesters, helping create more pathways and opportunities for student learning, engagement, and career readiness. 

“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,” said Dr. Gòkè-Pariolá. “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, I am looking forward to championing their 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.”

Prior to North Central, Dr. Gòkè-Pariolá was provost and vice president for academic affairs at Queens University of Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C., where he also served for a period as acting president. His additional experience includes serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio; as dean of the Evans School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Berry College in Rome, Ga.; as assistant vice president for academic affairs and director of the Center for Africana Studies at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Ga.; and as an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow and assistant to the president at Illinois State University in Normal, Ill.

Dr. Gòkè-Pariolá completed his undergraduate degree in English in 1974 at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in Nigeria. He earned his doctorate degree in English language and literature from the University of Michigan in 1982. He has authored more than 30 scholarly articles in the fields of English language and linguistics and a book on the political sociology of language.

Dr. Gòkè-Pariolá and his family reside in Naperville.

About North Central College 

North Central College provides students with the confidence, instruction and direction they need to exceed their personal best inside and outside of the classroom and throughout their careers. Founded in 1861 and located just 28 miles west of Chicago in the Historic District of Naperville, Ill. — named among the nation’s “Best Places to Live” by Money magazine — North Central is home to more than 2,800 students and offers 82 undergraduate majors, 67 additional undergraduate minors and concentrations, and 22 graduate degree and graduate certificate programs. Visit northcentralcollege.edu to discover why U.S. News & World Report has named North Central a “Best in the Midwest” school for 29 years in a row, and to learn more about the College’s state-of-the-art facilities and distinctive programs, particularly in the sciences and business.