University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Dr. Robert C. Mock Jr., has been selected as the next president of Peru State College in Peru, Nebraska. He will assume the presidency in January 2026.
Dr. Mock joined UMES in 2018 as the first cabinet appointment of President Dr. Heidi M. Anderson. Over the past seven years, he has held several key leadership roles, including vice president for Enrollment Management & Student Experience and interim athletic director.
“Dr. Mock has been an extraordinary servant to UMES – thoughtful, effective, and deeply committed to student success,” said Dr. Anderson. “His leadership, integrity, and ability to bring people together have elevated every initiative he has touched. Peru State College is gaining not only a proven leader, but also a visionary who understands the transformative power of higher education. I am confident he will inspire the campus community and guide Peru State into an exciting new era of growth and achievement.”
A celebration to honor Dr. Mock and say farewell is being planned for the UMES community.
Before joining UMES, Dr. Mock served as president of Johnson & Wales University’s Charlotte Campus, vice president for Student Affairs at the University of Kentucky, and associate vice provost for Student Affairs at the University of Arkansas–Fayetteville. He also held leadership positions at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he served as both director of Recruitment & Retention and associate dean in the College of Professional Studies.
Dr. Mock holds a B.S. in Engineering from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, an M.A. in Interpersonal & Organizational Communication, and a Doctorate of Education in Higher Education, both from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He also served honorably in the U.S. Army and National Guard from 2002–2010, following the events of 9/11.
