Ithaca College

Rob Gearhart, former faculty member in the Park School of Communications, has returned to Ithaca College as the new director of Online Learning, Certificate, and Professional Programs in the Division of Graduate Studies. In this new role, Rob will coordinate programs that utilize online or blended learning approaches in the delivery of online coursework, certificate, and professional programs. He will work closely with Greg Woodward in the Division of Graduate Studies, Kim Milling in Continuing Education and Summer Sessions, the Office of Information Technology Services, as well as deans, chairs, and faculty members from interested programs as the director of a new college initiative to develop more online learning opportunities and offerings for our current students as well as for select professional audiences from outside the college.

Rob is a graduate of Ithaca College, and was a Lecturer and Instructor in the School of Communications from 1984 to 1996. He left IC to establish the Educational Technology Center at Burlington County College in New Jersey, where he was responsible for creating faculty development programs in support of distance learning and educational technology initiatives. In 1998, he returned to Ithaca to join Cornell University’s newly formed Office of Distance Learning, where he developed several ground-breaking distance learning programs. In November 2000, Rob became one of the founding members of eCornell – Cornell’s venture in online learning – and was their director of faculty development and director of academic programs through November 2004. He joined Ithaca-based Concept Systems, Inc. as a Senior Consultant prior to returning to IC.

Rob is located in 111 Towers Concourse with the Division of Graduate Studies and Office of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions. You can contact him directly at 274-1909, rgearhart@ithaca.edu, or through the Division of Graduate Studies at 274-3527.