Dr. Ajay Vinzé
Dr. Ajay Vinzé serves as the interim provost and executive vice president of George Mason University, the largest public research university in Virginia and a Carnegie R1 institution.
As interim provost and executive vice president, Vinzé oversees George Mason University’s academic mission, including supporting scholarly excellence among faculty and fostering academic success for over 40,000 students on all four campuses. He joined the university in 2022 and works in conjunction with President Gregory Washington to shape and execute the university’s strategic academic priorities.
Biography
Ajay Vinzé is the interim provost and executive vice president of George Mason University. He previously served as dean of the Donald G. Costello College of Business, one of the largest business schools in Virginia. With over 35 years of experience in higher education, Vinzé is committed to advancing the university’s mission—preparing successful graduates, fostering exceptional scholarship, and making a positive impact regionally, nationally, and globally.
Since joining the Costello College of Business at George Mason University in July 2022, Vinzéhas focused on positioning the Costello College as a leader among business schools. His priorities included expanding multidisciplinary academic programs, promoting inclusive entrepreneurship, offering modular education, and strengthening corporate and community partnerships.
As part of these initiatives, Vinzé launched several innovative programs in business education. These included the reimagined Master’s in Management program, which offers modular education through micro-credentialing and stackable certificates. Also included among these programs is the SOAR Initiative, which provides a comprehensive support model for startups, empowering individuals in our region who lack access to entrepreneurship training. Additionally, the newly established Corporate and Community Partners Program fosters strategic partnerships between these partner organizations and Costello, supporting student recruitment, internships, scholarships, and faculty awards. In 2023, Vinzé also oversaw the renaming of the School of Business to the Donald G. Costello College of Business.
Prior to joining Costello, Vinzé served as Dean of the Robert J. Trulaske, Sr. College of Business at the University of Missouri. At Trulaske, he is credited with significantly enhancing the research profile of the college, offering innovative business education programs, and raising over $30M in philanthropic giving. Vinzé is a Fulbright Senior Specialist and a global citizen, having lived, worked or traveled through more than 70 countries over the past three decades. He completed his doctoral degree at the University of Arizona after receiving a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut and a bachelor’s degree from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) at the University of Delhi.