Ajay Vinzé, PhD

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 multi-disciplinary 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.

Education

• Ph.D., Business Administration, Management Information Systems, University of Arizona
• MBA, Finance, University of Connecticut
• BComm (Honors), Accounting, SRCC, University of Delhi