Peter McPherson was named Michigan State University's (MSU) 19th president in 1993. Since then,  he has worked with the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and students of the university to ensure that the university remains affordable and accessible to students from all walks of life.

McPherson serves as one of 25 members of a Kellogg Commission national committee devoted to studying the future of higher education. His career also includes serving as group executive vice president of the San Francisco-based Bank of America, deputy secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department, and Administrator of  the U.S. Agency for International Development, providing assistance to some 50 countries while overseeing  5000 staff members and a multi-billion-dollar budget.