Dr. Abiódún Gòkè-Paríolá Installed as 12th President of North Central College

Dr. Abiódún Gòkè-Paríolá was formally installed as president of North Central College at an investiture ceremony in the College’s Wentz Concert Hall on November 6, 2025. Gòkè-Paríolá is the 12th president in the College’s 164-year history. The ceremony was attended by Gòkè-Paríolá’s family, members of the campus community – students, faculty and staff – as well as College trustees, alumni delegates, and community leaders.

Gòkè-Paríolá was named president of North Central College in July 2024. The investiture ceremony is an academic tradition marking the formal installation of a new president – an opportunity for campus and community leaders to celebrate the institution’s history and to bestow the presidential symbols of authority. Michael R. Naset, chair of the North Central College Board of Trustees, presided over the ceremony and presented Gòkè-Paríolá with the College’s presidential medallion. Embossed with the North Central College seal, the medallion is inscribed with the names and service dates of the previous 11 presidents and is worn by the president in all ceremonies that include academic regalia.

“As I stand here today as a representative of the North Central College community and all who have been a part of my journey, I am honored and deeply humbled to wear the Cardinal red regalia and the presidential medallion,” Gòkè-Paríolá stated in his remarks.

As part of the ceremony, Gòkè-Paríolá received greetings from across the North Central College community and beyond from individuals representing students, faculty, staff, alumni, the broader higher education community, and the City of Naperville.

“In President Gòkè-Paríolá, we as alumni see a leader who not only understands and actively celebrates the legacy of North Central College, but one who also challenges us to think bigger, go further, and be daring in our next chapter,” said Connor McGury, a 2018 graduate and president of the North Central College Alumni Board, who spoke on behalf of College alumni.

Speaking on behalf of the Naperville community, Mayor Scott Wehrli, a 1991 North Central graduate, said, “I am honored to congratulate my friend, Dr. Gòkè-Paríolá, on his investiture as North Central College’s twelfth president. Just as Naperville is on the verge of the future, today we celebrate North Central entering its next chapter. Naperville and North Central move best when we move together, and I’m confident that our shared story will continue to grow under President Gòkè-Paríolá’s leadership.”

Prior to his appointment as president, Gòkè-Paríolá served for nine years as North Central’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. As provost, he led an expansion of academic offerings, including new undergraduate majors in engineering, neuroscience, environmental studies, health science, and nutrition, along with a growing suite of graduate health science programs, including Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant Studies, Physical Therapy, Athletic Training, and Nursing. During his first year as president, Gòkè-Paríolá initiated the NCForward Strategic Vision Plan – a roadmap for the College’s future that builds on its history of academic excellence and community engagement while addressing the challenges of an evolving higher education landscape.

“I will do everything in my power as president to fulfil the responsibilities before me, every single day, with an unwavering focus on ensuring the success of our students who have honored us with the privilege of traveling along with them at this stage of their life journey – as teachers, co-learners, mentors, coaches and cheerleaders,” said Gòkè-Paríolá. A full recording of the Investiture Ceremony is available on the North Central College YouTube Channel.