His affiliation with the University will continue, and he couldn’t be happier.
Robert M. Wild, Ph.D., has been appointed as assistant to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton, effective Jan. 1.
Wrighton introduced Wild at the monthly University Management Team meeting Nov. 21 at the Charles F. Knight Executive Center.
Wild will succeed Steven J. Givens, who will become associate vice chancellor for public affairs and executive director of University Communications. Givens is taking over for the retiring Judy Jasper Leicht.
“I’m thrilled about this new opportunity,” Wild said. “Washington University has always been a very special place for me, and I am truly honored to be able to serve in this new role working with Mark Wrighton.
“I spent the past seven-and-a-half years working with a very talented group of people in the Office of Residential Life, and I will miss the students and staff in that office very much. But this new job will present many new and exciting challenges, and I’m eager to take on this new opportunity.”
Following his appointment, Wild will serve as chief of staff and will be a primary adviser to Wrighton. He will be an ex officio member of the University Council and be intimately involved with dozens of University committees, special events and projects.
“I am very pleased to have Rob join the chancellor’s office,” Wrighton said. “He has had excellent experiences here and at the University of Wisconsin in terms of leadership contributions, and he understands well our university having been an undergraduate student here. He has demonstrated that he learns new things quickly and works well with people at all levels. Rob is a fine addition to our team and committed to serving the University in a new way, and I look forward to working with him.”
Wild’s association with WUSTL started in 1989 when he arrived on campus as a freshman — the first time the Rochester, N.Y., native set foot in Missouri.
In his undergraduate years, he worked part time in the Office of the Dean of Students and with the Office of Alumni & Development. He also served as a resident adviser and was an active member of the club rowing team. Four years later, he had earned a double major in biology and in African-American studies, both in Arts & Sciences.
He earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin (1996) and a doctorate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis (2005). His doctoral dissertation focused on college-student reactions to 9/11.
Since 2001, Wild has served as associate director of the Office of Residential Life, where he was an active member of the senior Residential Life Leadership Team. He also reshaped the processes for assigning both first-year and upperclass students; increased residential occupancy to 99 percent by improving the efficiency of the room- assignments process; and collaborated with Information Systems to develop a room-assignments software system to improve tracking, reporting and accounting procedures.
In the past five years, Wild has supervised more than 15 residential college directors, helping them develop strong programs in their residential colleges.
He also generated strong partnerships with key campus departments such as University Police, Student Health Services, Orientation, the Judicial Administrator, Residential Technology Services and Undergraduate Admissions; developed a strong protocol for both the residential move-in and move-out processes; assisted in the marketing and expansion of residential life options to include off-campus housing in 10 apartment buildings near campus; and provided oversight for space reservations, administrative staff, publications, Web site management, student employees and all major office operations.
He still managed to find time to serve as the primary academic adviser for 20 undergraduates.
From 1999-2001, Wild was the residential college director at WUSTL’s Park/Mudd Residential College; from 1996-99, he was a residential life coordinator at the University of Wisconsin.
Prior to working at Wisconsin, Wild taught sixth-grade math and science and eighth-grade earth science in New York from 1993-95 as part of the Teach For America program. The program left such a strong impression on him that he still serves as an alumni recruiter for Teach For America.
He is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, the St. Louis Area College Housing Association, the Missouri College Personnel Association and the University Committee on Alcohol.
He and his wife, Angie Borel Wild (LA ’91), live in St. Louis with their three children, Jack (3), Jameson (2) and Henry (1 month).