Rhodes scholar, star athlete and a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran with a Harvard MBA and a doctoral degree from Oxford University; these are just some of the credentials Christopher B. Howard will bring to Robert Morris University when he officially takes over as president in February.
Board Chair Gary Claus introduced Howard and his wife to the staff and students during the university’s fall mixer on Sept. 10.
“The Robert Morris University Board of Trustees is pleased to appoint Dr. Christopher Howard as RMU’s next president,” said Claus. “Dr. Howard is a high-energy, charismatic, and visionary leader who believes in the power of mentorship—a perfect fit for RMU.”
Howard, president of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, said he is honored to have been selected for the post.
“In the future, it is those higher education institutions truly committed to providing the foundational tools of critical thinking, written and oral communication, and a deep understanding of the world we live in, coupled with the opportunity to delve deeply into the professions, that are poised for success,” said Howard.
“RMU is an ‘all of the above’ university bolstered by an exceptional faculty, able staff, engaged alumni, dedicated board, supportive friends, and bright and motivated students. Just as importantly, members of the RMU community have demonstrated a willingness to innovate in a manner rarely seen in the academic world, resulting in remarkable growth and success. I am both honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as its eighth president.”
Howard has been president of Hampden-Sydney since 2009, during which time enrollment and retention have grown, alumni giving has reached 33 percent, and the grade-point average of the incoming freshman class has risen. In 2011-12, Hampden-Sydney climbed 17 spots in the U.S. News and World Reportrankings, the largest jump among any Top 100 liberal arts colleges.
During Howard’s tenure as president, Hampden-Sydney produced its first Truman and Goldwater scholars in 20 years, as well as a Rhodes finalist and numerous Fulbright and Rotary scholars—thanks in part to the Office of Fellowship and Advising the college created under his leadership. Hampden-Sydney received the largest gift in its 240-year history under Howard, and the college will soon break ground on a new student center.
“Dr. Howard has experience both within and outside of higher education, having worked in the corporate world and having a distinguished career in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve,” said Claus. “He has experience with and insights into different models of education, from Ivy Leagues to large publics, from small, liberal arts institutions to military academies. And, on the more personal side, his own background reflects the character and values we see in RMU’s students and alumni.”
Howard previously was vice president for leadership and strategic initiatives at the University of Oklahoma, and he has worked for General Electric’s Corporate Initiatives Group and for Bristol-Myers Squibb. He is the co-author of the book, “Money Makers: Inside the New World of Finance and Business.”
Howard is a co-founder and trustee of the Impact Young Lives Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that brings South African students of color to the U.S. for summer educational and cultural tours. He is a member of the NCAA Division III Presidents Council, the Baylor University Board of Regents, and is also one of the few college chief executive officers in the United States to be invited to join the prestigious Young Presidents’ Organization. He is a member of the board of directors of the American Council on Education.
His wife, Barbara Noble Howard, is the executive director of the Impact Young Lives Foundation, and she serves on the board of directors of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Virginia War Memorial Foundation, among others. She is originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, and graduated from Temple University. The couple has two sons, Cohen, a senior at the University of the South, and Joshua, a freshman at Middlebury College.
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