Robert C. Mock Jr., Ed.D.

Dr. Robert C. Mock Jr. has more than 30 years of professional experience in higher education, business, and the military. He has served in leadership roles in two flagship state institutions and one of the nation’s top ranked 1890 Public Land-Grant institutions.

Currently Dr. Mock serves as Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, the state’s 1890 Historically Black Land Grant University and one of the nation’s Top 20 HBCUs. In these roles, he co-leads, develops, and supports an effective Cabinet, manages campus revenues of approximately $130 million, and supports university policies to provide for effective leadership and accountability for nearly 3,000 students. He provides direct staff support to the President, with the primary goal of implementing the President’s vision and successfully achieve the university’s mission.

He joined the university in 2018 as the Interim Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Experience and Chief of Staff and later served as the Interim Athletic Director (Division I), and Chief of Staff prior to assuming his current role.

Prior to UMES, Dr. Mock was President of Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte Campus, in North Carolina. In this administrative leadership role, he had overall responsibility for campus academic initiatives and student outcomes, fostering continuous program innovation and teaching excellence. He developed, led, and supported an effective team; managed campus revenue of approximately $75 million and expenses; and supported university policies to provide for effective delegation and accountability for 2,101 students.

From 2010 to 2015, Dr. Mock served as Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Kentucky. His responsibilities of supervision and direction included the Office of the Dean of Students; the Counseling and Testing Center; Dining Services; Residence Life and Housing Assignments Office; the Student Center; Student Involvement; Student Publications; Disability Resources; Greek Affairs; Campus Recreation; the Violence Intervention & Prevention Center; Alcohol Education; New Student and Parent Programs; Judicial Affairs; and Student Affairs Administration. The staff of 700 full-time, 500 part-time employees, graduate assistants, and undergraduate student workers provided services and programs to more than 30,000 students.

In 1995, he began his 15-year career in higher education at the University of Arkansas, serving at the Fayetteville and Little Rock institutions, as well as at Arkansas State University. Joining the university as Continuing Education Coordinator, he progressed through the ranks of Faculty Instructor, Department of Speech Communication; Associate Dean, College of Professional Studies; and Student Services Division Chief and Director of Recruitment and Retention at University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In 2007, he was appointed Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and, in 2009, was selected as Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

He began his career in business at the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Pepsi-Cola Company in Missouri, and the Illinois Tool Works in Arkansas. From 2002 until 2010, he served in the Arkansas Army National Guard as a medical service corps hospital administrative officer and attained the rank of Captain.

He received both his Doctor of Education degree in higher education administration and Master of Arts degree in interpersonal and organizational communication from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering with minors in mathematics and physics from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville.