Wake Forest Athletics
Week 1 Open the Gate Honoree: President Peter Rodriguez
8/31/2026 12:30:00 PM | Football
Wake Forest President Peter Rodriguez is set to be the Demon Deacons Open the Gate honoree for Thursday’s season opener against Akron.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest's 15th president Dr. Peter Rodriguez will serve as the Open the Gate honoree during the Demon Deacons' week 1 matchup against Akron on Saturday, Sept. 3 at Allegacy Financial Stadium.
A distinguished economist and transformative academic leader, Rodriguez previously served as the dean of Rice University's School of Business, which includes the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business. He began his presidency at Wake Forest on July 1, 2026.
Rodriguez brings decades of expertise in international trade, economic history and public finance to Wake Forest. His career is defined by a commitment to academic excellence, diversity and global engagement. At Rice University, where he served as dean and professor of strategy for a decade, he led the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business to new heights of national prominence and started the Virani Undergraduate School of Business.
In 2025, Poets&Quants named Rodriguez its Dean of the Year for his transformative work at Rice. During his tenure as dean, he doubled MBA enrollment and increased the number of tenure-track faculty by more than 40%. He introduced Rice's first online graduate degree and launched the Hybrid MBA program. Under his leadership, McNair Hall was renovated, and construction began on a second building– Virani Hall – which opened in 2026. He also oversaw the founding of the business major in 2021 and the naming of the Virani Undergraduate School of Business in 2024. Additional accomplishments include forming a new operations faculty group, launching the faculty insights magazine Rice Business Wisdom, expanding Rice's entrepreneurship initiatives and integrating a global field experience into the curriculum for every MBA student.
Prior to his time at Rice, Rodriguez served as professor, senior associate dean for MBA programs and chief diversity officer for the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. His research interests include corruption, globalization, economic development and social institutions. His extensive academic background also includes serving as associate dean for international affairs and director of the Tayloe Murphy International Center. He worked for several years as an associate in the Global Energy Group at JPMorgan Chase.
At Texas A&M, he held positions as an assistant professor in the department of management and an adjunct professor at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service. Earlier in his career, he served as a lecturer and research assistant at Princeton University in the department of economics and the Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs.
An accomplished researcher, Rodriguez has published extensively on topics including government corruption, the impacts of NAFTA and international business strategy. He is also a sought-after voice in the media, providing expert commentary on the global economy for Bloomberg Markets, CNBC and PBS.
His service extends far beyond the classroom. Rodriguez currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (Houston Branch) and as a member of the Board of Directors for Texas 2036. His dedication to inclusive excellence has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Multicultural Leadership Award from the Texas Diversity Council.
A recipient of numerous teaching awards from Princeton, Texas A&M and the University of Virginia, Rodriguez holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University and a B.S. in economics from Texas A&M.
A Texas native, Rodriguez grew up in a household that valued education; his father was a college chemistry professor, and his mother was an elementary school teacher. Though he initially planned to pursue medicine, he quickly realized his true passion was the logic of economics, history and organizations.
Rodriguez and his wife, Kathleen, who is a third-grade teacher, have three grown children: Gabriella, Sam and Michael.
Open the Gate Information & 2026 Honorees
The Open the Gate tradition, established in 2008, celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions to the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem communities. Honorees are recognized during football games by leading the team onto the field alongside the Demon Deacon mascot.
Week 1 - Dr. Peter Rodriguez
A distinguished economist and transformative academic leader, Rodriguez previously served as the dean of Rice University's School of Business, which includes the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business and the Virani Undergraduate School of Business. He began his presidency at Wake Forest on July 1, 2026.
Rodriguez brings decades of expertise in international trade, economic history and public finance to Wake Forest. His career is defined by a commitment to academic excellence, diversity and global engagement. At Rice University, where he served as dean and professor of strategy for a decade, he led the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business to new heights of national prominence and started the Virani Undergraduate School of Business.
In 2025, Poets&Quants named Rodriguez its Dean of the Year for his transformative work at Rice. During his tenure as dean, he doubled MBA enrollment and increased the number of tenure-track faculty by more than 40%. He introduced Rice's first online graduate degree and launched the Hybrid MBA program. Under his leadership, McNair Hall was renovated, and construction began on a second building– Virani Hall – which opened in 2026. He also oversaw the founding of the business major in 2021 and the naming of the Virani Undergraduate School of Business in 2024. Additional accomplishments include forming a new operations faculty group, launching the faculty insights magazine Rice Business Wisdom, expanding Rice's entrepreneurship initiatives and integrating a global field experience into the curriculum for every MBA student.
Prior to his time at Rice, Rodriguez served as professor, senior associate dean for MBA programs and chief diversity officer for the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. His research interests include corruption, globalization, economic development and social institutions. His extensive academic background also includes serving as associate dean for international affairs and director of the Tayloe Murphy International Center. He worked for several years as an associate in the Global Energy Group at JPMorgan Chase.
At Texas A&M, he held positions as an assistant professor in the department of management and an adjunct professor at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service. Earlier in his career, he served as a lecturer and research assistant at Princeton University in the department of economics and the Woodrow Wilson School of International Affairs.
An accomplished researcher, Rodriguez has published extensively on topics including government corruption, the impacts of NAFTA and international business strategy. He is also a sought-after voice in the media, providing expert commentary on the global economy for Bloomberg Markets, CNBC and PBS.
His service extends far beyond the classroom. Rodriguez currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (Houston Branch) and as a member of the Board of Directors for Texas 2036. His dedication to inclusive excellence has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Multicultural Leadership Award from the Texas Diversity Council.
A recipient of numerous teaching awards from Princeton, Texas A&M and the University of Virginia, Rodriguez holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University and a B.S. in economics from Texas A&M.
A Texas native, Rodriguez grew up in a household that valued education; his father was a college chemistry professor, and his mother was an elementary school teacher. Though he initially planned to pursue medicine, he quickly realized his true passion was the logic of economics, history and organizations.
Rodriguez and his wife, Kathleen, who is a third-grade teacher, have three grown children: Gabriella, Sam and Michael.
Open the Gate Information & 2026 Honorees
The Open the Gate tradition, established in 2008, celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions to the Wake Forest and Winston-Salem communities. Honorees are recognized during football games by leading the team onto the field alongside the Demon Deacon mascot.
Week 1 - Dr. Peter Rodriguez
Friday, August 28
Wednesday, August 26
Tuesday, August 25
Friday, August 21