Dr. Ismaili, a first-generation immigrant college student raised by a single mother, brings nearly three decades of experience in higher education to Eastern. Dr. Ismaili previously served as Executive Vice President and Provost at Bridgewater State University and was a policy and research advisor on criminal justice issues in the Government of Canada. During this episode, Dr. Ismaili and Chancellor Cheng discuss his first semester as president of  Eastern and vision for the university.