Christopher B. Howard

Christopher B. Howard (born February 12, 1969) is the eighth president of Robert Morris University in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, where his term started on February 1, 2016.[1] He is a former college football running back and former United States Air Force officer.

Christopher B. Howard
8th President of Robert Morris University
Incumbent
Assumed office February 1, 2016
Preceded by	David Jamison (Acting)
Personal details
Born	February 12, 1969
Spouse(s)	Barbara Noble Howard
Children	Cohen Howard Joshua Howard
Residence	Edgeworth, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma mater	BS, United States Air Force Academy DPhil, Oxford University MBA, Harvard Business School
Profession	President of Robert Morris University
Website	www.rmu.edu/about-rmu/OfficeOfThePresident

Education

He is a 1987 graduate of Plano Senior High School in Plano, Texas, where he helped the 1986 football team win a Texas State Championship. Howard is a 1991 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science in political science. While at the Academy, he served as his class president and as a cadet group commander. He was selected as a First Team Academic All-American as the starting running back on the Air Force Falcons football team and awarded the inaugural Draddy Trophy in 1990 by the National Football Foundation. In 2003, he was inducted into the Academic All American Hall of Fame.[2][3][4]

Howard was named a Rhodes Scholar, and he attended Oxford University from 1991 to 1994, earning a Master of Philosophy and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Politics. In 2003, he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the Harvard Business School.

Military career

While in the Air Force, Howard served as a UH-1 “Huey” helicopter pilot and an intelligence officer. He accompanied Secretary of Defense William Cohen to Cape Town, South Africa, as a military advisor in 1998. He served with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron and earned the Joint Service Commendation and NATO Medals for service in Bosnia. He is currently a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve. He was called to active duty for one year during 2003, serving as the Chief of the Human Intelligence Operations Cell in Afghanistan where he was awarded the Bronze Star.

Civilian career

In 1999, Howard worked in various capacities for Bristol-Myers Squibb, serving as a manager on a $100 million HIV/AIDS initiative in southern Africa called Secure The Future.

Howard is the chairman and founder of the Impact Young Lives Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides scholarship and travel opportunities for South African students of color.[5] He also serves on the Advisory Board of Carolina for Kibera, a non-profit that fights ethnic violence and abject poverty in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya.

Beginning in May 2003, Howard served in General Electric’s Corporate Initiatives Group where he reported to the Chief Information Officer. While working with GE, he led several initiatives, including the company's effort to expand its African businesses.

In September 2005, Howard became Associate Vice President for Strategic & Leadership Initiatives, and later Vice President at the University of Oklahoma where he also served as the Director of the Honors College Leadership Center, Associate Professor, and a President's Associates Presidential Professor. In 2009, he became president of Hampden-Sydney College near Richmond, Va., and one of the nation's youngest college presidents. He became president of Robert Morris University on February 1, 2016.

In January 2017, it was announced that Howard was selected to be a member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee.

Howard is also a senior advisor of Albright Stonebridge Group where he advises clients on Africa-related issues.

References

1. "Robert Morris University Names Dr. Christopher Howard Its Next President". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
2. "About Dr. Howard". Robert Morris University. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
3. "Former Falcon Chris Howard to be Inducted into Academic All-America Hall of Fame". USAFA Athletic Department. June 5, 2003. Archived from the original on October 23, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2014.
4. "Capital One Academic All-American Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
5. "Impact Young Lives Foundation". Retrieved 17 June 2012.

External links

• President's page at Robert Morris University