Robert Morris University names first woman president in school history
Robert Morris University has named its ninth president, who will be the first woman president in the school’s history.
Dr. Michelle Patrick served as the former dean of the RMU School of Business for six years. She also has been the interim president since April 2022.
A press release said the following:
“During her tenure as the interim president, Patrick emphasized the importance of organizational culture and providing excellent service to students, efforts she pledged to prioritize as the university’s ninth president. Just last week, RMU became the first university in western Pennsylvania to have its accounting program accredited by AACSB International, a reflection of the work done by Patrick in her previous role as the dean of the RMU School of Business. "
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As the dean of the School of Business, Dr. Patrick secured reaffirmation of its AACSB accreditation, developed new certificate and degree programs, launched the Center for Sales Excellence and the Rockwell Fellowship in Entrepreneurship and Innovation; and reestablished the Massey Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Each of these initiatives provides students with valuable real-world experiences and strengthens RMU’s ties to the regional business community, according to the release.
“I am truly honored to be chosen as the ninth president of Robert Morris University. Although RMU has a beautiful campus and state-of-the-art facilities, it is the students, alumni, faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees that make RMU such a special place,” said Patrick in the release. “It is the passionate dedication of these groups that ensures ongoing student success.”
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“The selection of Dr. Michelle Patrick as Robert Morris University’s ninth president and first female president will provide the university with the leadership necessary to continue to empower our students to thrive and our community to benefit from an institution that is ‘Big enough to matter, small enough to care,’” said Carrie Coghill ‘08, chair of the Presidential Search Committee of the RMU Board of Trustees, and the board’s vice chair.
Prior to joining RMU, Patrick served as dean of the College of Business and Public Management at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She earned a B.S. in marketing and an MBA from Youngstown State University, and a Ph.D. in marketing from Kent State University. Patrick and her husband, Ron, live in Sewickley.
“I look forward to leading RMU — which just celebrated its 100th anniversary — and working collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure that RMU continues to thrive into the next 100 years and beyond,” said Patrick in the release.
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