After a long and successful career, Robert (Bob) Howard has announced his retirement from the College of Public Health. For the past nine years, Howard served as an ambassador, providing guidance, sharing his extensive experience, and promoting the field of public health to all Kent State students
Born and raised in East Chicago, Indiana, Howard followed in his parents’ footsteps working in the steel mills. “It was a way of life, and I worked full time in the mill for two years. It wasn’t until I received a very generous scholarship to John Carroll University that I moved to Ohio,” says Howard. He adds, “The scholarship really helped me earn my bachelor’s degree in English and discover how much I loved Ohio and the people.” Howard then earned his master’s degree, and began a Ph.D, at Kent State, studying Victorian Literature of Ideas.
He began his career writing grants for Portage County. After two years, Akron Children’s Hospital took note of his success and asked him to come on board as director of grants. His responsibilities continued to grow and during his 30-year career with Akron Children’s, Howard ultimately served as vice president of marketing, planning, and public relations. “In addition to marketing and planning, I had the opportunity to oversee Akron Children’s IT, accounting, fiscal planning, facilities, purchasing, construction and renovation,” he explains.
“When I retired from the hospital in 2010, I was asked by NEOMED to assist with pediatric planning. I had worked with their public health people for several years. This was a joint venture between NEOMED and Baldwin Wallace,” says Howard. In addition to his involvement with this group, Howard served on the board of directors of the Portage County Health District from 2012 to 2023. He eventually was named board chair.
It was in 2016 that he officially joined the College of Public Health as an ambassador. According to Howard, “I always loved working with students. I was fortunate to have gained a great deal of healthcare management experience with Akron Children’s Hospital and was happy to have the chance to assist Kent State public health students, particularly those in the management track.” Over the years, he has assisted and counseled hundreds of students. “I’m a strong believer in public health, community health, and the College of Public Health,” he adds.
When asked about his advice to current public health students, as well as those considering public health as a major, Howard shared, “People in our community and the world are going to need well-trained, reliable people attending to the health of all."
"Public health looks at the community’s well-being as opposed to healthcare which focuses on what is best for the individual. I would encourage students to give serious consideration to earning an MPH while their list of responsibilities is the lightest. It’s much harder in the long run to focus on your studies when working full-time or starting a family. I would also urge students to always be continuous learners”.
“Bob Howard is a wealth of knowledge and support to our students, faculty, staff and to me personally. His many years of service in healthcare are reflected in our career services and the courses he has developed and taught," says Sonia Alemagno, Ph.D., dean of the College of Public Health. "We are all very grateful to him for his years as an ambassador in the College of Public Health. We wish him happiness and good health!”
As for what’s next for Howard: “I’m looking forward to spending more time with family, relaxing, and traveling. Retiring will also give me the chance to spend more time reading. I’ve always been passionate about reading and learning,” he says.
Howard shared, “I have always been impressed with the quality and commitment of the faculty, fellow ambassadors, Dean Sonia Alemagno and the staff with whom she has surrounded herself. She continues to do a fantastic job effectively leading the college and preparing tomorrow’s public health leaders.”
Happy retirement, Bob!