Dr. Thomas Rock earned his BA in Communication Studies from the University of Dayton (OH); his MS in Education in Counselor Education from Alfred University (NY); and his Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University (NY). He also received a Certificate of Completion from the Harvard Graduate School of Education for participation in the Institute for Management and Leadership in Education (MLE). Dr. Rock was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship from the United States Department of State in 2018 and traveled to Japan as part of the Fulbright Scholarship Program.
Dr. Rock’s dissertation focused on access and equity issues as it relates to college admissions. His dissertation titled Thresholds to Success: An Analysis of the College Admission Process at an Elite Private Secondary School and an Aspiring Public Secondary School in an Urban Setting can be found through Dissertation Abstracts or through the Teachers College Library at Columbia University. Dr. Rock is also published in the Journal of College Admissions and the Encyclopedia of Diversity in Education.
Dr. Rock has served as the National Association of Graduate Admission Professionals (NAGAP) in a number of positions, including the President from 2006-2008. He serves on several Boards including the Student Affairs Advisory Board at Alfred University the Sexuality, Women, and Gender Project at Teachers College, and has served as an Advisory Board member of the World Education Services (WES). He has volunteered on various committees for the Tyler Clementi Foundation, the Point Foundation and for the University of Dayton. Dr. Rock has presented at regional, national and international venues including presentations at the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Conference, the Noel-Levitz National Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing and Retention, the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools, the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals (NAGAP) Annual Conference, and the Institute for International Education. In 2010, Dr. Rock was selected as a Delegate by the U.S. Department of State and met with Government and University officials in Beijing and Shanghai.
In his spare time, Dr. Rock enjoys running (he's finished 15 NYC marathons), tennis (he is a USTA certified tennis official), spending time with his family and traveling.
Dr. Rock has over 30 years of experience in student affairs having worked in undergraduate and graduate admissions and enrollment management and graduate student affairs. In his role as Associate Vice President & Chief Student Affairs Officer at TC, Dr. Rock is the Senior Student Affairs Officer for the College and oversees the administrative offices and staff members that support students on their pathways at Teachers College. He is passionate about student success and helping students flourish at TC and beyond.
Dr. Rock has worked in the field of undergraduate admissions and College Counseling at the University of Dayton, Alfred University and The Albany Academy (NY). He has worked in graduate admissions at Columbia University (NY), Hofstra University (NY) and Teachers College, Columbia University (NY). His student affairs work has been at Teachers College, Columbia University (NY).