Thomas J. Vicino

Dr. Thomas J. Vicino is the Dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University, where he is also appointed as Full Professor in the Urban Studies Institute.

Previously, he held various administrative and professorial roles across a 15-year career at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Most recently, he was Associate Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, where he was also jointly appointed as Full Professor in the Department of Political Science and the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs. Previously, Dr. Vicino was the Chair of the Department of Political Science, and previously, he served as the Director of the Master of Public Administration Program, a nationally-ranked program accredited by NASPAA.

In 2014, Dr. Vicino was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Brazil, where he was a visiting professor in the Graduate Program in Social Sciences at Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Earlier in his career, he served on the faculty at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts and the School of Urban and Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Dr. Thomas J. Vicino serves as the eighth Dean of the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. Appointed in December 2023, he leads a nationally recognized, highly interdisciplinary academic enterprise and one of the nation’s largest and most diverse comprehensive colleges of public affairs. As chief academic officer, he has advanced student success, academic innovation, research excellence, and community partnerships. As Dean, he stewards the legacy of Ambassador Andrew Young—civil rights leader, U.S. congressman, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and mayor of Atlanta—by connecting academic excellence with public purpose to inspire the next generation of leaders.

Under his leadership, Dr. Vicino led an inclusive process engaging more than 500 stakeholders to launch Leading With Purpose: The Strategic Plan for the Andrew Young School. Since then, enrollment has grown 27 percent. The School now instructs more than 10,000 students annually and has broadened affordable, online, experiential, transfer, accelerated-degree, and lifelong-learning pathways, reinforcing Georgia State’s national model for student success. He expanded the research enterprise, advancing research excellence and helping generate more than $100 million in sponsored research and $10 million in philanthropic support. These advances helped the School achieve its highest-ever overall national ranking of #14 among public affairs schools, with numerous programs ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News & World Report.

Dr. Vicino has dedicated his career to advancing the next generation of scholars and service professionals. As the Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Governing Board of the Urban Affairs Association, Dr. Vicino led the foremost international professional organization for urban scholars, researchers, and public service professionals. In this role, he strengthened financial management, expanded professional development opportunities and enhanced member engagement, and guided the Association’s response to the pandemic. In 2025, Dr. Vicino was inducted to the Distinguished Service Honor Roll, a recognition for its most impactful service leaders who have contributed outstanding service to the Urban Affairs Association. In addition, he has served in various leadership roles in the American Political Science Association and the Latin American Studies Association. He is also an active member in the professional communities of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning and the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration.

As an interdisciplinary scholar trained in the field of Public Policy, Dr. Vicino’s work is motivated by a dedication to shape and improve the public good. Throughout his career, he has taught and mentored scores of undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of Political Science, Political Economy, Public Policy, and Urban Studies. Fluent in Portuguese, he is a strong advocate for global experiential education. For over a decade, he has led a study abroad program, “The Twenty-First Century City,” in some of the world’s most dynamic cities—from Rio de Janeiro, to Tokyo, to London.

An internationally recognized scholar of Urban Affairs, Dr. Vicino specializes in the political economy of cities and suburbs, focusing on issues of metropolitan development, housing, and demographic analysis. He is the author of five books, including: Suburban Crossroads: The Fight for Local Control of Immigration Policy (2013) and Transforming Race and Class in Suburbia: Decline in Metropolitan Baltimore (2008) and co-author of Global Migration: The Basics (2014) as well as the bestselling book Cities and Suburbs: New Metropolitan Realities in the US (2010). Most recently, he is the co-editor, with Bernadette Hanlon, of the book The Routledge Companion to the Suburbs (2019). He has also published numerous book chapters, essays, reviews, and research articles in leading peer-reviewed journals. He serves on various editorial boards including Journal of Race, Ethnicity and the City and Urban Planning.

A first-generation college student, Dr. Vicino holds a PhD and MPP in Public Policy from the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Additionally, he holds a BSc, cum laude, with departmental honors in Political Science and Communication Studies, from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. In 2002, he received the Frazer D. White Award for Excellence in Communication Studies.

In his spare time, he enjoys traveling to new cities and exploring good Italian food. As a student at the University of Miami, he played the trumpet in the iconic Frost Band of the Hour marching band. He was born in the District of Columbia.