PNW recently announced Richard Rupp, associate professor of political science, chief of staff in the office of Chancellor Thomas L. Keon.

Rupp has been a faculty member for 18 years. He has experience as a longtime faculty member and department chair, which allows him to have knowledge of university practices.

“I’ve never had more positive comments about how positive the choice of him in staff was,” Keon said. “He is intelligent with a Ph.D. in international political science, outgoing, friendly and likeable. He has had a wonderful start. We worked months during the summer to try things out and work well together. He was a good choice.”

Rupp’s is hoping to establish his goals as well as contribute to the chancellor’s vision.

“I see this as a terrific opportunity,” Rupp said. “I am keen to implement my goals in the coming years. One of the largest, making PNW a metropolitan university and making Purdue a comprehensively engaged university.”

Rupp is working on the chancellor’s projects, including creating teaching portfolios that serve as a structure for quality instruction and overseeing Friday University, a two-day workshop for gaining college level knowledge and experience that has been around for six years.

Rupp grew up in the California, San Francisco Bay area, where he acquired a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Hayward, and a master’s degree from California State University, Sacramento. In 1997, he acquired a doctoral degree in international political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Rupp has experience teaching in Bulgaria and working with Mazoon College and Bayan College which are both located in the Middle East in Oman. He supervises PNW’s affiliation with these colleges in hopes of attracting international students.

“These colleges look at us and our curriculum to set standards for them to satisfy ours. Oman has limited minors, their first college being established in 1986, mainly English and communication. The goal is to get some international students from Oman.”

Currently, Rupp serves on the Athletics Committee, co-directs the One Book One University program, directs the Center for Global Studies, and serves on the Faculty Senate.

He’s also one of several faculty members who organized the Freshman Year Experience and the new WJOB host of PNW’s radio program, “Purdue Northwest Today,” which is broadcasted on Thursday mornings.

Rupp looks forward to the following years as chief of staff.