Radford University has appointed Agida Manizade as assistant provost for Graduate Affairs, a role that advances the university’s strategy to elevate graduate education and student success through the Office of Graduate Affairs (formerly the College of Graduate Studies and Research).
The Office of Graduate Affairs was created to bring a more integrated, student-centered approach to graduate education. Under the new model, graduate admissions operations were consolidated within Enrollment Management, enabling Graduate Affairs to focus on program quality, policy coordination and the student experience from matriculation through degree completion.
“I am honored to lead this next phase of our collective work, aligning policies, data and student support systems to create a seamless and empowering experience from admission to graduation,” Manizade said. “Our focus is on quality, access, and meaningful impact for every graduate student and program. This work is about the connection between faculty and students, between programs and partners and across the systems that shape the graduate experience. Together under a unified vision for Graduate Affairs, we are ensuring that every student is supported, every program is strong and every success story strengthens Radford University and the region.”
Reporting to the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, Manizade will partner with deans, program coordinators and key university offices to align policies and processes, coordinate curriculum across colleges and streamline every touchpoint from entry to degree. She will expand accelerated and guaranteed-admission pathways with Enrollment Management; direct advising, mentoring, funding and career-planning programs that strengthen retention and time-to-degree; and co-publish the integrated university catalog with the registrar, all while building a consistent, student-centered graduate experience that respects each program’s academic ownership and supports enrollment goals without compromising quality.
Manizade, who previously served as interim assistant provost for graduate affairs following an internal search, has already led several key improvements. During her interim year, she oversaw the integration of the undergraduate and graduate catalogs into a single, easy-to-navigate resource and restructured the Graduate Affairs Committee to improve effectiveness. A faculty member with an outstanding record in teaching and research, and experience developing Radford’s graduate programs in mathematics, she brings a systems mindset and a record of collaborative leadership.
“This appointment strengthens our student-first model for graduate education”, said Bethany Usher, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “By aligning policy, curriculum support and student success efforts across colleges and in close partnership with enrollment management and the registrar, we’re modernizing processes and putting our energy where it matters most: the quality of our programs and the success of our students.”
Beyond campus, Manizade is active in the statewide community of graduate education leaders and is a graduate and invited speaker of the HERS Leadership Institute, as well as a graduate of Harvard Kennedy School’s Executive Education Women and Power program, bringing back best practices that inform institutional-level improvements.
Looking ahead, the Office of Graduate Affairs will focus on strengthening student retention, helping programs enroll full cohorts, and enhancing applied learning and research experiences that serve the region.