Texas A&M Law Dean Bobby Ahdieh Leaves Fort Worth for Pace University Presidency

Bobby Ahdieh, chief operating officer of the Texas A&M-Fort Worth campus, is leaving Texas for New York to become the ninth president of Pace University, starting January 1, 2027. His departure will change leadership at the A&M law school and academic programs as the downtown campus grows, and it will open a seat on the state-appointed board of managers overseeing Fort Worth ISD. Ahdieh plans to remain in his A&M and district roles through December.

Since arriving in 2018 as dean of the A&M law school, enrollment across its programs has risen from 458 to more than 2,000, and the school's national ranking has climbed from No. 83 to No. 22. The downtown campus opened its first building, a 228,000-square-foot law, engineering, health science and business facility, on August 5, 2026. A research building is under construction with completion expected in 2029. Kim McCuistion will continue to direct the campus, and existing project teams plan to keep the work on schedule.

For developers and financiers, the practical takeaway is that the downtown campus's development schedule is expected to continue under current leadership, though an interim academic leadership transition is coming.