Robert Pearl Starks

Robert Pearl Starks

Location: phoenix, arizona

About me

As Vice President of Product Development, I lead cross-functional teams of designers, developers, QA testers and product stakeholders to develop, launch, and improve products customers need and love. 

Previously, I've worked in a variety of leadership roles in education / learning & professional development. Through my experience, I've become accustomed to working across departmental silos and with various stakeholders (executives, end-users, faculty, staff, students / learners, alumni, parents, regulatory agencies, partners and employers) to facilitate collaboration and advance common goals. In my previous roles, I've advocated for student needs and driven organizational change that helped educators do their best work, students thrive in their careers, and employers connect with quality talent.

Despite different contexts, a common theme in my career journey has been to do work that contributes to a mission which improves people's lives. It's also always been important for me to work with an organization whose values align with my own. I'm a listener, empathizer, customer advocate, servant leader, and lifelong learner. I'm never satisfied with status quo, I constantly strive for "better," and I'm driven by genuine curiosity to solve complex problems.

“Work to become; not to acquire.” -Elbert Hubbard

Interests

social media, career development, training, higher education, web 2.0/3.0, career services, leadership, marketing

Skills

social media, marketing, training, consulting, management, strategic planning

Activity

Hi Rhonda, Of all the strategies you've used, what do you find has worked best for you in getting your students to have that "light bulb" moment to focus on the needs of the company? Thanks for contributing to the discussion!
Discussion Comment
Hi Paola, Are there any challenges you've faced using social media or teaching students to use it for career development? Robert Starks Jr.
Hi Paola, Which platforms do you use for personal use and for business? Do you find you use the same platforms but use them differently? What is your experience? Robert Starks Jr.
Hi Daniel, I couldn't agree more. Your example of American Idol is a good one showing how social media has been integrated in businesses and traditional media. Social media amplifies brand messaging, reach, affinity, etc. It will be interesting to see how things continue to change in the future. Robert Starks Jr.
Hi Daniel, What a great partnership and one that aligns well with multiple goals. Thank you for sharing! Robert Starks Jr.
Hi Daniel, I'm wondering if you've run into any examples where the content a student publishes has actually hurt their online reputation and/or job prospects and if you've had to intervene. Have you run into any issues such as this? Robert Starks Jr.
Hi Daniel, Whereas younger generations tend to be earlier adopters of social media platforms, they aren't necessarily skilled at using platforms for personal branding, research, job search, etc. Do you have any strategies such as following blogs or other tactics to stay ahead of your students and teach them? Robert Starks Jr.

Hi Daniel, One of my experiences working with film students in particular was the challenge of helping students understand the value of a network like YouTube as a portfolio tool to show the world their work vs. a repository for ALL of their work. In other words, students loved sharing even if the work was not their best and this was a challenge for career services trying to help students put their best foot forward. Have you had these challenges? How do you manage them? Beyond showing work and building audience (subscribers, followers, etc.), for what other specific purposes are… >>>

Jamie P. Merisotis, President and CEO, Lumina Foundation, shares some of the details from the recent report, Stronger Nation Through Higher Education

In their fifth year doing the report, the Lumina Foundation has seen that strongest increase in adults with higher education degrees. Although with that number at only 39%, there is a lot of work to do.

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Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates - Columbia University Is the college of the future online? With the popularity of MOOCs (massive open online courses) and the availability of online degree programs at a fraction of their on-campus price, we are experiencing an exciting experiment in higher education. Does the traditional classroom stand a chance? Will online education be the great equalizer, or is a campus-based college experience still necessary?
The Democratization Argument by FORAtv

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