George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government has added former Virginia governor Robert (Bob) McDonnell to its faculty. McDonnell will serve as a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Practice.
McDonnell was raised in Fairfax County and graduated from Bishop Ireton High School in Alexandria. He served 21 years in the U.S. Army, and after law school, he served as a Virginia Beach prosecutor. He was Virginia’s attorney general and spent 14 years in the House of Delegates before he was elected governor in 2010.
“I care deeply about Virginians, and George Mason is the largest public university in Virginia with the widest reach and many well-established programs,” McDonnell said in a statement. “I look forward to contributing to a highly respected government and policy school on the doorstep of Washington, DC. After 38 years of public service and with experience in the military and business, I hope I can inspire students to dream big, lead well, and treat people with respect.”
McDonnell will also be a featured speaker at public events and join faculty at leadership forums.
“Governor McDonnell’s appointment offers our students the opportunity to learn from his vast experience in state government,” Mark J. Rozell, dean of GMU’s Schar School, said in a statement. “As a school of policy and government, we benefit from a unique combination of traditional and professional faculty members working together to advance our community’s understanding of key policy issues and governing challenges. The governor’s addition to our faculty further strengthens that model and enhances the real-world perspectives we bring into the classroom.”
Feature image courtesy Robert McDonnell
