Rob brings more than 30 years of academic excellence in higher education to DePaul. He most recently served as president at the University of Indianapolis, a faith-based institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

At UIndy, where he served as president since 2012, he ushered in an era of strong academic, financial and physical growth. He guided the construction of three new residence halls attracting more than 900 new students to live on campus, developed the 150,000 square foot University Health Pavilion, and redeveloped a local industrial building into the new home of the R.B. Annis School of Engineering. He also raised more than $100 million for the university. 

Throughout his career, Rob has consistently prioritized expanding access and supporting the success of underrepresented populations and first-generation students. At UIndy, where first-generation students represent 43% of the first-year class, he engaged the entire university community in the development and implementation of a five-year strategic plan. The outcome resulted in a significant boost in enrollment, particularly among students of color, increases in engagement of alumni and fundraising, investments in faculty and academic support, as well as an increase in graduation and retention rates. Rob also appointed UIndy’s first diversity, equity and inclusion officer, a position that directly reports to him as president.

As a higher education administrator, first at New York University and then at Georgetown, Rob has been recognized for his development and implementation of innovative academic programming—including graduate, undergraduate, online and customized educational programs.

In his six years at Georgetown, from 2006 to 2012, he served as dean of the School of Continuing Studies and then associate provost. As dean, in addition to reorganizing the school, he helped create a Diversity Council that engaged corporate partners in research projects related to equity and inclusion. He established the Georgetown Global Education Institute, which trained global leaders in the areas of entrepreneurship, urban planning and financial policy. As associate provost, he provided leadership for the Center for Social Justice, Research and Training; the Diversity Action Council and a Veteran Affairs initiative.

At New York University, from 2000 to 2006, Rob served in the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment Services. He also held the positions of chief information officer, assistant dean and clinical associate professor at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Earlier in his career, he served at Le Moyne College and Southern Vermont College.

Raised in the Episcopal Church, he credits his most formative religious development to his time at Le Moyne College and Georgetown University, both Catholic institutions. For the last six years, he has served as a board member at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory High School. He also has participated in a number of immersive religious experiences, including a service trip with the Jesuits to Kenya.

Rob current serves on the board of directors for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. He also has served on the national advisory board of the University Professional & Continuing Education Association and the editorial advisory board for the Continuing Higher Education Review.

Rob has a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Allegheny College, a master’s degree in higher education administration from Syracuse University and a PhD in higher education administration from New York University.

Zaldwaynaka (“Z”) Scott, J.D., unanimously elected by the Board of Trustees to serve as the 12th permanent president of Chicago State University, assumed the role on July 1, 2018.

President Scott oversaw the development and advancement of the CSU Strategic Plan 2020-2025, ensuring that the institution will lead with the mission of transformation for students’ lives through  innovation and excellence in ethical leadership. She also supervised the launch of a historic re-brand of the University, putting into motion new brand assets and campaigns to revitalize the institution’s  reputation and raise awareness among new stakeholders. President Scott is a well-known advocate for equity in higher education, having formed and co-chaired the Equity Working Group, a body of leaders from across the education, public, private, philanthropic, and community development sectors to formulate an action plan for addressing Black student access and success in Illinois higher education.

Prior to her current role, President Scott was an equity partner in a national law firm with an international practice that focused on corporate internal investigations, counseling clients on regulatory compliance and crisis management. She also spent more than 16 years as a federal criminal prosecutor in the position of Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois, where she served as Chief of the General Crimes Section. Upon leaving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Illinois State Senate confirmed her appointment as Illinois’ first Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Governor and its Public Universities. In this role, she created an independent executive branch state agency from its inception, developed the United States’ first statewide ethics training platform for state government employees, and created a protocol for the investigation of claims of misconduct, waste, fraud, and abuse. 

President Scott taught at some of the nation’s most competitive law schools, including Northwestern University School of Law, the University of Chicago Law School, and UIC John Marshall Law School. The Indiana University Maurer School of Law honored her with its Distinguished Service Award (2012) and selected her for induction into the Law School’s Alumni Hall of Fame (2019). 

President Scott is a highly sought-after speaker and lecturer on topics related to leadership, crisis management, trial advocacy, ethics and compliance and equity in higher education. She has received numerous awards honoring her service from organizations including the American Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Cook County Bar Association, La Rabida Children’s Hospital, the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, the American Constitution Society, and the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Chicago. She was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as one of the Most Powerful Women in Chicago Business (2018) and as one of Chicago’s Most Impactful Leaders in Education (2022). She is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and the Commercial Club of Chicago. President Scott’s peers rank her among the nation’s top lawyers, resulting in her inclusion in Chambers and Partners USA, U.S. News Best Lawyers, Women in Business Law Guide, the Best Lawyers in America, Leading Lawyers 2015, Top 10 Women in Criminal Defense, and Illinois Super Lawyers. 

President Scott holds a Juris Doctor from Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.