Biography
“The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what it is that interests you and that you can do well, and when you find it put your whole soul into it – every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have.” - John D. Rockefeller III
J. Robert “Rob” Shindell was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Larry and Mary Ann Shindell. Growing up in Pennsylvania, and later, Cleveland, Ohio, Rob graduated from Madison High School in 1990. Rob earned his Bachelor of Education in 1995 from The University of Toledo, College of Education. He later earned his Master of Arts in Training and Development in 2002 from Midwestern State University located in Wichita Falls, Texas. He is currently a PhD candidate in the Higher Education Administration program at Texas Tech University with an anticipated graduation date of December 2009. While working on his PhD, Rob served Texas Tech University as the Director of the Rawls College of Business Career Management Center before being selected by the Chancellor of the University System to be the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services.
Over the past 13 years, Rob has successfully served in a variety of professional leadership roles within higher education. He developed career centers at The University of Toledo’s College of Engineering, Midwestern State University and the Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. Through his innovative approach to career services, The Rawls College of Business Career Management Center achieved the ranking of 28th in BusinessWeek’s national ranking of College of Business career centers in 2007.
Because of his leadership and dedication to managing successful change and innovation, Rob was appointed Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services at Texas Tech University. After several years of downward trending enrollment, academic quality of the freshman class, dwindling transfer students and shrinking diversity, Rob’s leadership was instrumental in restructuring and refocusing Texas Tech’s recruiting and admissions initiatives. The results were remarkable: 20% increase in applications, 10% decrease in the admission rate and the largest freshman and transfer classes in Texas Tech’s history. Through his dedication to providing access to historically under-represented populations, Texas Tech also saw a 40% increase in applications from both African-American and Hispanic students.
Rob regularly speaks to both students and employers throughout the United States. His consulting experience is vast, with a special focus on leadership, effective communication, as well as strategic planning and organizational development.
Rob’s greatest avocation is to be a positive influence on the college community, providing students not only with a mentor, but also with the skills necessary to succeed and flourish in the careers of their choosing. He is equally committed to the social atmosphere of university campuses across the country, actively involved in PRIme for Life – a nationwide educational program focused on the identification of high-risk student behaviors regarding alcohol consumption. Rob has facilitated this program for students at over twenty universities across the country.
Rob is married to the former Christy Cutright of Austin, Texas. Christy has earned two degrees from Texas Tech, a Bachelors degree in Human Development and a Masters degree in Higher Education-Student Affairs. She served Texas Tech as an Academic Advisor for students with special needs for seven years.
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