Houshmand was born into poverty in Iran. He eventually left to pursue an education – first in the U.K., then here in the United States. He started working in the private sector, then built a successful academic career, landing in Glassboro at Rowan University.

After serving in a series of senior administrative roles, he became the school’s seventh president in 2012 and embarked on a mission to transform the South Jersey institution. Houshmand recently spoke with NJBIZ about his work at Rowan, how far the university has come and where the school – and American higher education in general – needs to go next.

“I believe that the reason that I’ve been successful is because I’ve been made so humble,” he told NJBIZ earlier this year. “I’ve seen so much difficulty that I appreciate that, and I don’t want to see any other person to go through what I have. When I see a person in here who comes from a from a depressed area having a difficult time, the first instinct is, how do I help that person? How do I leave that person because I have seen the power of it on me. As a result of me many of my family members have been upgraded, and there are so many other friends and colleagues that I have promoted, so many graduate students who are very successful citizens of this country. That is a fantastic feeling.”

And that attitude provides the foundation for his leadership. Under Houshmand, Rowan has evolved into a Carnegie-classified national research university with two medical schools and soon, the state’s first veterinary school. He has guided a number of partnerships and development, including Rowan Boulevard, a collaboration between the school, private developers and the Borough of Glassboro that has created a vibrant downtown with housing, retail, restaurants and academic space. During his presidency, Rowan has completed $1.5 billion in university-related construction projects with another $1 billion in additional construction planned over the next five years. Rowan has raised $155 million in new gifts and pledges throughout his tenure in charge. He also created a Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to increase access and quality while continuing to expand the diversity of Rowan’s enrollment.