RESTON, Va. and PITTSBURGH, Oct. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellucian, the leading higher education technology solutions provider, today announced that Dr. Christopher Howard has joined the company's Board of Directors. Dr. Howard is the eighth president of Robert Morris University (RMU), a private nationally ranked doctoral granting institution near Pittsburgh serving 4,500 students.
"We are honored to welcome Dr. Howard to the Board of Directors under our new investors, Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners. His impressive record of leadership, both in service to our country and the higher education community, will add significant value as Ellucian prepares for the next phase of growth. I look forward to having Dr. Howard's customer perspective as our company continues to lead the way in creating innovative technology to drive better outcomes for students and institutions," said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian.
"It is an honor to work with Ellucian, one of the most agile, customer-focused education technology companies globally committed to assisting schools fulfill their strategic goals and objectives," said Howard.
Dr. Howard is a distinguished graduate of the US Air Force Academy, earned a doctorate in politics as a Rhodes Scholar from the University of Oxford, and has an MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School, where in 2018 he received the school's Alumni Achievement Award.
Dr. Howard's military service began as a helicopter pilot, then as an intelligence officer, where he was assigned to the elite Joint Special Operations Command. He served in Afghanistan in the Air Force Reserve and was awarded the Bronze Star.
Under Dr. Howard's leadership, RMU has become a preferred strategic partner for corporations, organizations, professionals, and aspiring professionals in the Pittsburgh region and beyond. U.S. News & World Report ranked RMU No. 48 on the magazine's list of "Best Value Schools".
Prior to RMU, Dr. Howard was president of Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, and vice president for Leadership & Strategic Initiatives at the University of Oklahoma. Earlier in his career, he worked for General Electric and Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Dr. Howard is a trustee on the Harvard University Board of Overseers and serves on the Board of Directors of AvalonBay Communities. He is a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Young Presidents Organization, the Aspen Strategy Group and Trilateral Commission, and Sigma Pi Phi, the oldest African-American fraternity in the US.
Dr. Howard is a member of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics and a former member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee. He is also the founder and a trustee emeritus of the Impact Young Lives Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports South African youth.
About Ellucian
Ellucian is charting the digital future of higher education with a portfolio of cloud-ready technology solutions and services. From student recruitment to workforce analytics; from fundraising opportunities to alumni engagement; Ellucian's comprehensive suite of data-rich tools gives colleges and universities the information they need to lead with confidence.
Working with a community of more than 2,700 customers in over 50 countries, Ellucian keeps innovating as higher education keeps evolving. Drawing on its comprehensive higher education business acumen and suite of services, Ellucian guides its customers through manageable, sustainable digital transformation—so that every type of institution and student can thrive in today's fast-changing landscape. To find out what's next in higher education solutions and services, visit Ellucian at www.ellucian.com or https://www.ellucian.com/emea-ap.
About Robert Morris University
Robert Morris University is a nationally ranked doctoral-granting university enrolling more than 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students in more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. RMU offers fully online courses as well as a traditional residential college experience at its campus on 230 scenic acres 17 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The Colonials compete in 15 NCAA Division I sports, including basketball, football, volleyball, and lacrosse. Learn more at www.rmu.edu.
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SOURCE Ellucian
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