Dr. Debra A.G. Robinson, the former associate vice chancellor for student and international affairs at UMR, became the campus’s vice chancellor for student affairs on Jan. 1. She succeeded Dr. Wendell R. Ogrosky, UMR’s first vice chancellor for student affairs, who joined UMR in August 1987 and who retired on Dec. 31.

"Dr. Robinson’s experience in higher education, particularly in the areas of student affairs, student development and leadership development, make her an exceptional candidate for the vice chancellor’s position," says UMR Chancellor Gary Thomas, who announced Robinson’s appointment today.

"I am honored to be offered this position and look forward to leading the division and serving the UMR campus as vice chancellor for student affairs," Robinson says.

Robinson joined the UMR student affairs staff in 1980 as a counseling psychologist. She later was assistant director and associate director of the UMR Counseling Center, and served as director of UMR’s Center for Personal and Professional Development from 1990 through 2001. In 2001, she was appointed associate vice chancellor for student and international affairs, and is responsible for directing UMR’s leadership development programs, coordinating several administrative functions within the division, coordinating staff development and training efforts, and managing relationships with external constituents. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the engineering management department.

Robinson earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Illinois at Springfield in 1976 and her master of arts degree and Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in 1977 and 1980, respectively. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the International Coaching Federation and the Society of Psychologists in Management. She also remains active as a management and coaching consultant, and has written numerous papers and book chapters on a broad array of topics, including leadership development, engineering education, career opportunities, women in engineering and how students adapt to college life.