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TOPEKA – Richard Linton’s journey to become president of Kansas State University began when he followed a friend into the food microbiology department at Virginia Tech University.
It was at the campus in Biskup that he met Merle Pearson, who connected him with a food science academic after three lectures. Linton earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree and doctorate in food science from Virginia Tech, where he learned under John Marcy’s mentorship that professional success is always about building relationships and trusting people.
Linton says he’s inspired to create the kind of lightbulb moments he had with Pierson and Marcy for others.
“I’ve learned that a professor can have an immeasurable life-changing impact,” Linton said at Friday’s ceremony marking his inauguration as the university’s 15th president. “There were people, mentors, events and experiences that shaped who I am and influenced my path to Kansas State University.”
His career first took him to the Faculty of Food Science at Purdue University. He served as Chair of the Food Science Department at Ohio State University and Dean of Agriculture at North Carolina State University.
He succeeds Richard Myers, who was a four-star general in the U.S. Air Force before serving more than five years as president of Kansas State. Linton started in February, but the official ceremony was timed to coincide with the opening session of Kansas State on September 2, 1863.
Linton served as the founder and director of Purdue’s Center for Food Safety Engineering, where he worked for 16 years. He said it was at Ohio State that he honed his academic fundraising skills and honed his road map to becoming a university president. He said the value of interdisciplinary research has been demonstrated in North Carolina State’s job-building partnerships with universities and industry.
His wife Sally taught him compassion, his daughter Lily taught him determination, and his son Chris bravery—lessons he took with him to Manhattan.
“When the presidential position opened at Kansas State University, I had been preparing for a very, very long time. I was ready,” Linton said.
Linton is committed to making a meaningful impact in communities across the state by taking on the university’s land grant mission. He will push forward with an economic plan for the state of Kansas that is tied for 3,000 jobs and $3 billion in private investment.
Addressing the downward enrollment trend among college-age students will be a priority, along with reaching Kansans in all 105 counties, the president said.
“There are still opportunities ahead. We can and will get better,” Linton said. “What’s around the corner for K-State? Vision and growth today, and more in the future. A better place for students to learn. A better place for faculty and staff to work and grow. Faster and more complete solutions for our Kansas citizens.” .
Gov. Laura Kelly, who was among the commencement speakers at the ceremony on the Manhattan campus, said Linton has the potential to take Kansas State to great heights.
“I hope you see that in this short time there is nowhere like Kansas – kind, hard-working, smart people,” he said. “I have no doubt that Dr. Linton’s talent and ambition will put K-State on the path to becoming the modern, next-generation land-grant university he desires.”
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