“Ted Mitchell has worked to foster innovation that benefits all students, especially those in underserved communities, in areas ranging from higher education to teacher preparation to education technology. His experience as a college president and administrator, as well as his unwavering commitment to equity for every student, makes him uniquely suited for this role,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “He will lead us through this important time in higher education as we continue to work toward the President’s goal to produce the best-educated, most competitive workforce in the world by 2020.”