The American University in Cairo’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously to renew President Francis Ricciardone for a second four-year term, effective July 1, 2020.
At its May board meeting in New York, the Board commended President Ricciardone for his leadership of the institution.
“We are pleased that President Ricciardone has agreed to continue his fine service of AUC for another term and look forward to working with him to fulfill the alluring promise of AUC's second century,” said Board Chair Richard Bartlett.
Ricciardone began his current term at AUC in 2016.
“I have felt deeply privileged and personally gratified to serve AUC over my first three years at our fine institution,” said Ricciardone in accepting the renewal.
“I am honored and delighted that the trustees have afforded me the opportunity to continue serving and collaborating with such dedicated faculty staff, in addition to ambitious, creative students, over many more years ahead.”
Prior to joining AUC, he served as vice president of the independent US-based Atlantic Council. Ricciardone previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan, U.S. Ambassador to Egypt, and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines and Palau. Born in Boston.
Ricciardone graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College, was a Fulbright Scholar in Italy and a guest scholar at the United States Institute of Peace.
The AUC president speaks and reads Arabic, Italian, Turkish and French, as well as elementary Farsi.