Dr. Robert Rhoads came to UCLA in the Fall of 2000 after working five years at Michigan State U. as the coordinator for the Student Affairs graduate program.

Prior to joining the faculty at Michigan State, Professor Rhoads was a doctoral student and post-doctoral scholar at Penn State University. While at Penn State, he obtained a Masters in sociology and a Ph.D. in higher ed.

His educational background also includes a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a masters degree in student personnel from Slippery Rock University.

Professor Rhoads’s professional endeavors focus on the intersection between higher education and democracy. More specifically, he has devoted his career to advancing democratic practices in higher education, as well as investigating the ways colleges and universities can promote democracy in national and international settings.

Dr. Rhoads is dedicated to student culture and multiculturalism, and hopes to make positive contributions to the UCLA campus environment in the upcoming years. His residential programs include activities designed to raise student awareness and sensitivity to diversity issues linked to race, class, gender, and sexual orientation.

On the personal side, Professor Rhoads loves to ride his mountain bike and can be counted on to recruit students to join him on his weekly rides through the Santa Monica mountains.