The Board of Trustees has unanimously voted to renew the contract of President Martin A. Schmidt ’81, Ph.D., for an additional five-year term as president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, beginning July 1, 2027.
October 29, 2026
In a letter sent to the campus community on Thursday, October 29, RPI Board of Trustees Chair John Kelly announced the reappointment of RPI President Martin A. Schmidt:
It is my pleasure to announce that the Board of Trustees has unanimously voted to renew the contract of President Martin A. Schmidt ’81, Ph.D., for an additional five-year term as president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, beginning July 1, 2027.
Since assuming the presidency in July 2022, President Schmidt has provided steady leadership and a clear vision for the future of RPI. Under his leadership, the Institute has developed the RPI Forward Plan, continued to strengthen our academic and research priorities, increased fundraising, advanced enrollment efforts, deepened engagement with alumni and supporters, and further elevated RPI’s reputation as one of the world’s leading technological universities.
Perhaps most importantly, President Schmidt has fostered a culture of collaboration, transparency, and community engagement across the Institute. His commitment to listening, learning, and bringing people together has helped position RPI for continued success in a rapidly changing higher education landscape.
As the Board considered the future of the Institute, we were guided by a simple question: Who is best positioned to lead RPI through its next chapter? We are confident that President Schmidt is that leader. His deep understanding of the Institute; his dedication to our students, faculty, staff, and alumni; and his unwavering commitment to RPI’s mission make him exceptionally well suited to continue guiding the university forward.
“As I sit in the beginning of my fifth year as President, I am deeply honored that Chairman Kelly and the Board of Trustees have given me the opportunity to continue in this role,” said President Schmidt upon accepting his reappointment. “We have made substantial progress on several key initiatives, but there is still more work to be done. It has been a privilege to serve as RPI’s 19th President, and an experience for Lyn and I and our family that we treasure.”
The renewal of President Schmidt’s contract reflects the Board’s strong confidence in his leadership, our shared optimism for RPI’s future, and the momentum of his current tenure. Please join me in congratulating President Schmidt on this renewal and in thanking him for his continued service to the RPI community.