Robert S. Nelsen
| Robert S. Nelsen | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 21, 1952 Brigham City, Utah |
| Residence | McAllen, Texas |
| Alma mater | Brigham Young University, University of Chicago |
| Occupation | President at California State University, Sacramento |
Robert S. Nelsen (born January 21, 1952) is the eighth President of California State University, Sacramento in Sacramento, California. He assumed leadership of the university on July 1, 2015.[1] Prior to becoming president of CSUS, he was serving as special adviser to the University of Texas System's Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.[2] Before taking on this position, Nelsen served as the eighth President of the University of Texas–Pan American from January 2010 to August 2014.[3][4]
Prior to this, Nelsen was an associate vice president for academic affairs and professor of English at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi.
Earlier, Nelsen was a faculty member at the University of Texas at Dallas. He served as the speaker of the Faculty and chaired the University of Texas System Faculty Advisory Council. After winning the Chancellor’s Council Award for Outstanding Teaching,[5] he was recruited into the Provost's Office and served as vice provost there.
Nelsen is an author of fiction in journals which include the Story Quarterly, Other Voices, Chariton Review, and Southwest Review.
He lives with his wife in McAllen, Texas.
Early life
Nelsen was born in Brigham City, Utah and raised in Montana near Madison Valley. He earned bachelor and master's degrees in political science from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago, specializing in modern literature, modern philosophy, and modern political theory.[6]
Honors and awards
- Pushcart Prize, Best of the Small Presses: Distinguished Stories Award, 1991: "Ronnie Big Wolf Tooth" and "Two Points of a Blue Star"
- "Ten Best Journals," Common Knowledge, May 1, 1993, Library Journal
- "Best Journal in Humanities, Social Studies, and Social Sciences, 1993," Common Knowledge, The Association of American Publishers, January 1994
- Literacy Champion Award, South Texas Literacy Coalition, Historias de la Vida 3rd Annual Gala, Palmhurst, Texas, September 24, 2011
- Community Literacy Champion, South Texas Literacy Coalition, Edinburg, Texas, September 22, 2012
- Edinburg Rotary Leadership Award, Edinburg, Texas, June 26, 2013[7]
- Good Samaritan Community Services Award, Good Samaritan Community Services, Pharr, Texas, August 7, 2013
- Man of the Year Award, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, Edinburg, Texas, Texas, October 24, 2013[8]
- Golden Eagle Award, Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, McAllen, Texas, March 1, 2014[9]
- Rio Grande Valley Walk of Fame, BorderFest, Hidalgo, Texas, March 5, 2014[10]
References
- ↑ "CSU Trustees appoint Robert S. Nelsen as president of California State University, Sacramento" (PDF). California State University. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
- ↑ "SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR BOARD OF REGENTS’ MEETING July 10, 2014 : Austin, Texas" (PDF). University of Texas System. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "History and Past Presidents - The University of Texas-Pan American". Portal.utpa.edu. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
- ↑ "University community greets Nelsen in first official campus visit". Utpa.edu. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "Robert Nelsen Named Teacher of the Year At The University of Texas at Dallas". University of Texas at Dallas. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "Latino Education Conference - Speakers". Voiceswebtv.net. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "Rotary Club of McAllen Raise Over $3,000 for Summer Feeding Program". Your Valley Voice. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "President Nelsen honored as "Man of the Year" by Edinburg Chamber of Commerce". Utpa.edu. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "President Nelsen receives Hispanic Chamber's Golden Eagle Award". Utpa.edu. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- ↑ "BorderFest 2014 - Celebrating Argentina!". BorderFest. Retrieved 26 October 2014.