Rob received his baccalaureate degree, with distinction, in psychology and sociology, from Purdue University in 1992. He subsequently garnered his master's degree in mental health counseling from Purdue's School of Education in 1994. During his graduate studies he worked as a graduate administrative professional in the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS), and was later taken on as a Counselor in the Counseling Area of ODOS. As Assistant Dean of Students Rob fills many roles in his work. He sees students for most any type of mental health concern in regular counseling sessions. He also is Vice Chair for the Committee on Scholastic Delinquencies and Readmissions (CSDR), which administers readmission policy and procedures that have been established by the University. Rob also chairs the committee that reviews students applying for withdrawal after the University established deadline.

Rob currently teaches a class he created himself, A Course on Hate and Violence, SOC 356X. He is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of Indiana, a National Certified Counselor, does private practice work, and is a board member of the Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC), a division of the American Counseling Association (ACA). He is the recipient of the 2001 Dean M. Beverley Stone Outstanding Non-Academic Counselor Award, the 2000 Order of Omega Award, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Chi, and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. He welcomes anyone to contact him about matters that may seem large or small. His phone is 765-494-5860, or email him at rmate@purdue.edu.