About us

Why we built Dual Academy

Traditional college takes too long and costs too much. Four years of high school followed by four to six years of college. Tuition, living expenses, missed earnings, and loans. For most families, it doesn’t add up anymore.

Dual Academy fuses grades 11 and 12 with college so students graduate with up to 80 transferable college credits. A bachelor’s degree is just one more year after high school.

Our mission is to make the shortest, most affordable path to a bachelor’s degree available to every family in the U.S. and around the world.

Our vision is a world where no family has to choose between a quality education and financial stability.

Founding Team

President Kulinski

Founder and Head of School

Founder and President of the first 3-year bachelor's degree university in the U.S. Former President American University in Bulgaria. Silicon Valley and global business executive. MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Viktoriya Zotova

Co-Founder

Dr. Zotova (or Dr. Z as she is affectionately known to her students) has taught at Georgetown University and publishes financial research for the IMF. She has a PhD from the University of Maryland, a BA from St. Norbert College, and an ALM in Legal Studies from Harvard.

Roy Morris

Strategic Advisor

Accomplished in business, law, and academia, Roy has an MBA from Wharton, a JD from George Washington University, and SM & EE from MIT. Extensive experience advising startups, leading business development, and corporate legal strategy. Provides expertise, mentorship, and strategic insights to drive business and student success.

Ruth Lyons

Strategic Advisor

Chief Examiner at the International Baccalaureate. Taught at schools and colleges in Greece, China, and the U.S. BA in Drama and Theater Studies, MA in Medieval and Renaissance Literature, and MA in Strategic Studies from University College Cork. Professional Diploma in Education from University College Dublin.

Lyuben Popov (LP)

Co-Founder and CTO

Co-Founder and CTO of Dual Academy. CIO of NewU University for five years, where he built and oversees the technology infrastructure underlying the model. BA in Economics and Computer Science from the American University in Bulgaria.

Jonas Rolett

Founding team

Thirty years of experience driving systemic reform and building institutions. Helping redesign how American students earn a bachelor's degree. BA in Literature and Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Ian Bickford

Founding team

Founding Provost of Fulbright University Vietnam and an influential leader in the U.S. early college movement. Most recently President of the American University of Afghanistan. PhD from the CUNY Graduate Center, MA from Stanford University, BA from U.C. Berkeley.

Faculty

Frank LaPlaca

Faculty

Experienced investor, corporate strategy executive, and advisor. Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland, and MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Gil Mitchell

Faculty

BA and MLitt from Mary Baldwin University, MFA from GW, Shakespeare Theater Company artist.

Andrea DaSilva

Faculty

MBA and MA from American University, BAs from NYU and Hunter College. Global business practitioner.

Carlos Sotomayor

Faculty

PhD from Ruhr University Bochum Germany, MS in Physics from Curtin University in Australia. Published author in astrophysics, geophysics, public health.

Mark Nguyen

Faculty

BA from UCLA, MBAs from UC and National University of Singapore, M.A.L.D. from Tufts University, marketing and brand strategy consultant, record label owner.

Shanelle Bailey

Faculty

Master's in Clinical Psychology from Montclair State, BS in Psychology in Criminology and Pre-Law from James Madison University. Licensed Psychology Associate in Washington, DC.

Peter Smolianski

Faculty

Master of Science University of Maryland, certified PMP, ITIL, CompTIA. IT executive with USMC, Department of Defense, Federal Judiciary.

Eugenio Fernandez

Faculty

BA from LSU, Master's from USAC, business consultant, researcher and author.

A sample of our faculty. Full roster subject to change over time.

Our partner university

The first 3-year bachelor’s degree college in the U.S.

NewU is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

The university is also a member of Duke’s Future Universities Alliance and the College-in-3 Exchange.

NewU is approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to accept VA education benefits.

NewU University is a private non-profit college authorized to issue Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) degrees.

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EVERYTHING ACCREDITED

Dual Academy is accredited by Cognia. Our partner university, NewU, is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

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