Col. J.P. McDonough Named Leader Of Texas A&M DC And Bush School DC

J.P. McDonough, a decorated Marine Corps colonel and recent Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, has been selected as the next leader of Texas A&M University-Washington, DC and the Bush School DC.

McDonough will begin June 1.

“I’m honored to join the distinguished faculty and staff at the Bush School, and I share their commitment to the values and vision of its namesake, President George H.W. Bush,” McDonough said. “I’m excited to expand the school’s presence in our nation’s capital, supporting working professionals earning their master’s degree here in D.C. And I’m thrilled to help expand opportunities for Aggies to experience our nation’s capital.”

“Col. McDonough has lived a life of exemplary public service,” said John Sherman, dean of The Bush School of Government and Public Service. “We are excited to add his knowledge, passion and commitment to others to the Bush School. He will do the Aggie community proud.”

The Bush School DC is the Washington arm of the College Station-based school.

McDonough will be associate vice president and chief operating officer for the Texas A&M DC Teaching Site. He will assume leadership from Raymond Robertson, who managed day-to-day and academic operations as the interim associate vice president and chief operating officer. Robertson will continue advancing the academic mission in his role as academic director of Bush School DC, in addition to his research on economic issues and directorship of the Bush School’s Mosbacher Institute for Trade, Economics, and Public Policy.

“We are all grateful for Dr. Robertson’s leadership and dedication while serving in the interim role,” Sherman said. “Dr. Robertson continued to move the A&M Teaching Site and the Bush School DC forward at a critical time.”

The Bush School DC, located three blocks from the White House, offers students the opportunity to study near many of the top minds in national security, including members of the FBI, CIA, National Security Agency, U.S. Department of State, Pentagon and many think tanks. The location and faculty pedigree enable the Bush School DC to bring in renowned experts to talk with students and to facilitate internships, networking and job opportunities.

A career artillery officer, McDonough was posted across the globe, commanding every level of Marine artillery, from platoon to regiment. His deployments include the initial entry to Afghanistan in December 2001 as part of Operations Swift and Enduring Freedom, as well as a deployment to Afghanistan as an advisor team leader with the Afghan National Army in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2009-2010. 

McDonough’s staff and joint tours include multiple tours in the Pentagon as well as in Marine Corps Training and Education Command as both an instructor and a modeling and simulation analyst.

McDonough most recently served as the 89th Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy from June 2021 until June 2024.

McDonough’s decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and various unit and service awards. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1994. He earned a master’s degree in modeling, virtual environments, and simulation from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2005. He graduated with distinction from the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at National Defense University in 2014.