Dr. Robert Simmons, the vice president for U.S. social impact and community engagement and executive director of the National Grid Foundation, has been appointed SUNY Oswego’s Scholar in Residence from summer 2025 to spring 2026.
Prior to his current role with National Grid, Simmons served as a leader in corporate philanthropy at Micron Technology, CEO of the See Forever Foundation, and tenured professor of science education at Loyola University Maryland.
As a celebrated educator who started his career as a teacher in Detroit, Simmons has authored numerous articles over his career and is noted as the chief architect of the Leading Men Fellowship, one of the largest social impact efforts to increase the number of men of color serving in early childhood classrooms. Nominated twice as the Walt Disney national teacher of the year, Simmons is a proud Detroiter and currently lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
“I am absolutely thrilled and deeply honored to be appointed Scholar in Residence at SUNY Oswego,” Simmons said. “I'm incredibly eager to immerse myself in the vibrant campus community, engage with the bright students and dedicated faculty, and contribute to the dynamic intellectual life of the university. I see this as a wonderful opportunity for mutual learning and collaboration.”
Simmons has previously shared his expertise and insights with SUNY Oswego, including as keynote Commencement speaker in May 2023, keynoting the Technology Fall Conference the same year and speaking at the first-ever TEDxSUNY Oswego conference this spring.
“I am delighted to appoint you as a Scholar in Residence and to join SUNY Oswego as we continue our work to advance our mission, increase upward mobility and advance regional economic development,” President Nwosu said in welcoming Simmons in his new role. “Your interests and experience related to education, business, diversity/equity/inclusivity, and social justice make you an ideal candidate to enrich our academic community.”
In this role, Simmons’ activities will include mentoring students, offering career guidance, presenting guest lectures and talks on areas related to his expertise, collaborating with faculty on research projects and curriculum development, and supporting the university’s development of faculty partnerships and student engagement.
Simmons' role also connects with President Nwosu's Vision 4040 plan for increasing educational opportunities and establishing new partnerships to meet the needs of the Central New York region.