Office of the President

Michelle L. Patrick, Ph.D

President, Robert Morris University

Michelle L. Patrick, Ph.D serves as the president of Robert Morris University, leading with a vision to transform the lives of students through student-centered experiences and career-ready education. Her presidency is based on the commitment to foster a welcoming community that empowers every student to reach their full potential. 

Dr. Patrick’s leadership is defined by an entrepreneurial spirit that seeks to turn every challenge into an opportunity. This approach was pioneered during her transformative six-year tenure as Dean of the RMU School of Business. Under her guidance, the school achieved prestigious AACSB International accounting accreditation and its online MBA program soared to a top-15 national ranking by Fortune Magazine. In 2024, she was honored as a Woman of Influence by the Pittsburgh Business Times, a recognition reserved for the region’s most influential female leaders who are shaping the future of Western Pennsylvania.

Her ability to build strategic, high-impact partnerships reached a historic milestone when she announced an $18 million gift from the S. Kent Rockwell Foundation and the Kent Rockwell family, which is the largest personal gift in the university’s history. This transformational investment led to the naming of the Rockwell School of Business and endowed the S. Kent Rockwell Professorship and Fellowship in Entrepreneurship, ensuring that RMU remains a hub for innovation for generations to come. 

A marketing scholar by trade, she has spent nearly three decades in academia. Before arriving at RMU, Dr. Patrick served as Dean of the College of Business and Public Management at West Chester University. She holds a Ph.D. in marketing from Kent State University and both her B.S. and M.B.A. from Youngstown State University.

Dr. Patrick believes that the true measure of a university is the success of its graduates. She is a relentless advocate for a 'career-ready' educational experience that blends academic curriculum with real-world experiences. Under her leadership, RMU serves as a bridge between student potential and professional success, ensuring every graduate leaves ready to pursue a meaningful career and lead a great life.

Whether she is engaging with students on the Moon Township campus or collaborating with regional business leaders, her goal remains the same: to provide the support, the experiences, and the community necessary to ensure every RMU student is truly UNSTOPPABLE.