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

Discussion Comment

LeWando, I have personally found that students get excited about the possibilities of social media once they begin to learn about the benefits. When I speak with students, I give real-world examples of how social media has helped people with their career and business goals. I also found that being the example myself got buy-in from students. For instance, if I knew I wanted to convince students that social media provides an opportunity to meet people they would never be able to meet, I might first connect with someone from a known business and see if I could gain an… >>>

Hello LeWando, There are so many things one could do to get students to use social media for professional development. Here are some assignment ideas for you: 1. Have students conduct research on how social media is used for professional development. Instead of writing a paper, you could ask them to write a blog or make a brief PowerPoint and upload to SlideShare.com. Instead of a PowerPoint, you can also introduce students to Prezi for those who want to learn to use a different presentation tool. My point is you can get creative in having them learn about social media… >>>

 

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released the criteria it will use in examining private student loan lenders, which is an extension of the Bureau’s General Supervision and Examination Manual that will be used as a field guide by CFPB examiners to ensure that private student lenders comply with federal consumer financial laws.

 

Through passage of the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB has the authority to supervise large banks, as well as nonbanks, that make private student loans, CFPB notes that the examination procedures released today may be used to examine both types of lenders. According to the… >>>

 

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released the criteria it will use in examining private student loan lenders, which is an extension of the Bureau’s General Supervision and Examination Manual that will be used as a field guide by CFPB examiners to ensure that private student lenders comply with federal consumer financial laws.

 

Through passage of the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB has the authority to supervise large banks, as well as nonbanks, that make private student loans, CFPB notes that the examination procedures released today may be used to examine both types of lenders. According to the… >>>

 

A new report from the Treasury Department in conjunction with the Department of Education entitled "The Economics of Higher Education” discusses the current state of higher education and makes the case for investing in education to expand job opportunities, boost America’s competitiveness, and support economic mobility.  


According to the report, the total number of students enrolled at institutions of higher education increased from under 13 million in 1987 to over 21 million in 2010. While enrollment has increased over the past 20 years, so has tuition. Data show that posted tuition (which does not include living… >>>

The Economics of Higher Education outlines the need to invest in higher education to improve job opportunities.  The report discusses the role of Higher Education as an economic imperative.   

Steve Gunderson discusses his background and how he came to APSCU. He also discusses the mission of APSCU and the role the organization is playing in reaching out across different sectors of education to build bridges as a vital component to solving the skills gap and the opportunity gap.

 

Hello Joseph,

Your comment got me thinking and in reflection, I wanted to share my own personal thoughts.  I think compliance is a broad topic impacting all areas of an organization and there is value in understanding context in one's job function as well as the entire institution because every department is interdependent of one another.  I personally believe the more we understand about our own role in context of how it also relates to others', we improve our mutual understanding, our ability to effectively collaborate, and our ability to contribute to institutional effectiveness. Compliance, in my view, is also… >>>

Steve Gunderson, President of the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities (APSCU), offers some reflective thoughts on 2012 and advice for what needs to be done in 2013 and beyond.

Bill Pepicello (President of University of Phoenix) and Barry Feierstein (Chief Business Operating Officer of University of Phoenix) discuss one of the university's newest classroom environments and how the University of Phoenix is attempting to reinvent higher education for working adults.


Ryan Busch, Publisher of Today's Campus Magazine, Interviews Bill Pepicello and Barry Feierstein of University of Phoenix from Today's Campus Magazine on Vimeo.

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