Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard that The Onion has graced the University of Toledo with its renowned satire, poking fun that UToledo students drop out to become hairdressers. New UToledo President James Holloway not only took the jest in stride — he took to social media with his own jokes in reply.
“Well, I don’t know much about doing hair,” Holloway said in a response video on social media. “I’ve been rocking this same style since I was four.”
In October of 2025, Dr. Holloway was inaugurated as the 19th president of the University of Toledo — the sixth new president (interim presidents included) in 20 years. His former tenure as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of New Mexico saw a 40% increase in first-year enrollment, a positive trend that the University of Toledo is eager to see.
In his response to The Onion, he touts UToledo’s research advancements and innovations in fields like photovoltaics, water quality and medical technology. And he encourages people to see for themselves whether UToledo is a place worth staying.
“Apply today and see for yourself! I’m confident you will not want to leave after your first semester,” President Holloway said in the video, which garnered over 100K views across Facebook and Instagram alone within the first five days of posting.
“I think there’s a lot more that the school has to offer, and I think he’s showcasing that very well,” Ann Brinkmeier, a graduate student in the physician assistant program, said.
Students have certainly seen a lot more of this president — on social media, at least, which seems to be his favored tool for campus and community engagement. Another high-grossing reel involves mere seconds of the President riding on a campus Veo scooter, while other videos tap into fast-evolving social media trends.
Andrea McCallum, graduate student in the physical therapy program, believes that the President’s social media strategy is working “to entice students to come to Toledo.”
“At least you think about it. It puts it on your mindset as, I don’t know, a positive reaction if you laughed at it,” McCallum said.
But jokes and memes aside, what can Rockets look forward to under new leadership?
In his inaugural address, Holloway shared his vision for the university through three main “launchpads” or initiatives: “Advantage Toledo,” “Innovate Toledo” and “Healthy Toledo.”
Advantage Toledo has to do with students’ professional experience.
“[Advantage Toledo’s goal] will be accomplished by having all students participate in experiences that prepare them to apply knowledge, bridging from class to practice and developing their ability to address the complex ambiguities of the world,” Holloway said.
The second launchpad, Innovate Toledo, focuses on expanding the University’s capacity to not only do research and drive innovation, but also conduct major research projects sourced from external funding. The University of Toledo was promoted to Carnegie R1 research status just last year.
The last launchpad, Healthy Toledo, directs the medical center to support public health within the region and take on more health-related research, especially on issues common to the region, like cancer, diabetes and hypertension.
“Healthy Toledo will work to improve the health of our region,” Holloway said.
President Holloway may be a jokester, but it all certainly seems to be with the campus and community in mind.
“We are the University for Toledo,” Holloway said.
