Joseph E. Aoun is the current president of Northeastern University. The seventh president, Aoun took over the position from Richard M. Freeland in 2006. Aoun was born in Beirut, Lebanon where he graduated with a master’s degree in Oriental Languages and Literature from Saint Joseph University in 1975. He graduated from the University of Paris VIII in 1977 with a diploma of advanced studies in General and Theoretical Linguistics and from M.I.T. in 1981 with a PhD in linguistics. Before becoming president of Northeastern he served as the Dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences at the University of Southern California.

Aoun has made the largest impact at Northeastern in the field of global and experiential education, enhancing both the co-op and study abroad programs. He has written seven books and in 2006 was named a Chevalier dans I’Ordre des Palmes Academiques (Knight of the Order of the Academic Palms) by the French government. Aoun lives with his wife in the president’s house, a university-owned residence on Beacon Hill.

In 2013, Forbes named Aoun the second highest-earning college president, reporting his 2011 income at $3,121,864.

His twitter handle is @PresidentAoun.