Texas Southern University has appointed Dr. Gilbert L. Rochon, former president of Tuskegee University, as the interim dean of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs. Known for his dynamic leadership and extensive experience in academia, Dr. Rochon will step into this role on Feb. 10.
Dr. Rochon served as the sixth president of Tuskegee University from November 2010 to October 2013. In addition to his presidential duties, he was a university professor. He was also appointed by the Alabama governor to the Governor’s College & Career Ready Task Force, showcasing his commitment to enhancing educational standards in the region.
“Dr. Rochon brings more than 30 years of higher education and public administration experience to the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs,” said Dr. Carl B. Goodman, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at TSU. “Our School of Public Affairs is a national research and career preparation leader. We are pleased that Dr. Rochon will bring his research-driven leadership to assess and evaluate the school’s future direction while the University engages in a national search for a permanent Dean.”
Dr. Rochon’s robust background includes significant roles in both academic and governmental settings. Before his tenure at Tuskegee, he was the associate vice president for collaborative research and engagement at Purdue University for over eight years. His career includes time as a research community planner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and 18 years as the Conrad Hilton endowed professor and director of the Urban Studies & Public Policy Institute at Dillard University.
Tuskegee to Texas Southern
“I am excited about the opportunity to lead the accomplished faculty and staff of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs in this interim capacity,” said Dr. Rochon. “This school is known industry-wide, and throughout academia for the research these men and women do daily and for the opportunities it provides students to commence from their program prepared to thrive in their chosen field. I look forward to identifying ways to enhance the services we provide students to prepare them in an even more relevant way for the careers of their dreams.”
Dr. Rochon holds a Ph.D. in urban and regional planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Public Health in health services administration from Yale University School of Medicine. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana and has held federal appointments with agencies including NASA, the Department of Defense, and the USDA Forest Service.
This article sources information from Texas Southern University.
