American University Kyiv (AUK), powered by Arizona State University, is proud to announce the appointment of Daniel Rice as its next university President. This appointment follows an international search process by the AUK Supervisory Board and further solidifies AUK’s continued expansion in Ukraine.

Rice is an accomplished entrepreneur and fundraiser with a strong background in leadership, strategic planning, marketing & education, and has been serving as Special Advisor to General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the Commander in Chief of the Ukraine Armed Forces. President-elect Rice, a former Infantry Officer for the U.S Army and a Purple Heart recipient, has been an active voice in speaking and writing about the war in Ukraine, advocating for additional weapons systems with exclusive access to senior leadership of both U.S. and Ukrainian military leadership.   

In addition to his military background, Rice has extensive leadership experience as the president and co-founder of Thayer Leadership at West Point, a leader development company ranked as one of the Top 40 leader development companies in the world. He also holds several degrees from top American universities, including a Bachelor of Science in National Security from West Point, an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Business of Northwestern University, a master’s degree in marketing from Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern, and a master’s degree in education and finalizing his Ed.D. in education leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Rice is an award-winning author and a frequent speaker on CNN, FOX News, and several other international outlets. 

In his new role at AUK, Rice will oversee all university operations, providing collaborative leadership to implement a strategy to create an innovative, research-driven environment with strong social and economic impacts on Ukraine and its future leaders. He will work closely with the government and international organizations to cultivate partnerships to support AUK and Ukraine’s reputation and social achievements, and facilitate opportunities to develop new initiatives across education, culture, and research.

*****

American University Kyiv is the first private university offering a U.S. higher education standard in Ukraine through its partnership with Arizona State University (ASU). ASU is one of the largest universities in the United States and is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the most innovative university in the U.S. In Ukraine, AUK’s founding partners include: EPAM Systems, BGV Group Management, Academy DTEK, Brain, Channel Georgian Consulting, and Georgian American University.