For a man who had no intentions on going to college, it’s odd he is now a university president.
Originally born in Western Pennsylvania, Robert Carothers (Edinboro ’65) was raised in Freedom, PA, which is located on the Ohio River near Pittsburgh. After high school, Carothers enrolled in the Army, and moved on following his service commitment.
In 1961, Carothers provided a courtesy ride to a friend who attended Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. Upon visiting, Carothers liked the campus so much that he visited the admission’s office and asked if he could attend. In the fall, he began taking classes. It was there he studied English, and had to enroll in an Army Reserve Unit. The commander of the reserve unit was John Marsh, an English professor who took Carothers under his wing.
During the spring term of his freshman year, Carothers participated in the recruitment process, but he knew Delta Sigma Phi was the group for him. He had several friends who previously joined Delta Sigma Phi that encouraged him to join, too. Once initiated, Carothers did not waste any time getting involved. The semester after he joined, he was elected president, and was re-elected the following year. "The Fraternity filled my life. I give a lot of credit to the fraternity because that was the time where I began developing my leadership skills. I also enjoyed the great friendships that started in college with the fraternity and still exist today," Carothers stated.
After earning his undergraduate degree, Carothers enrolled at Kent State University’s graduate school and further studied English. He finished his Master’s degree in 1966 and completed a Ph.D. in English in 1969 (he also has a JD from Akron University). Following his Ph.D. education, he returned to Edinboro to teach English. While at Edinboro, he also served as Chapter Advisor for the Delta Nu Chapter of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. Carothers served as professor, then was promoted to department chair, then to Dean, and then to Vice President. In 1983, he was hired as President of Southwest State in Minnesota. Soon after that in 1986, he was promoted to Chancellor of the University of Minnesota system. For the last 15 years, he has served as President of the University of Rhode Island.
When reflecting upon his most fond Delta Sig memory, Carothers recalled a very proud image. “It would have to be dress-up days on Thursdays. All the brothers would wear a coat and tie each Thursday. We would gather in the student union and go to dinner. Delta Sig was a sharp looking group on Thursdays.”
Even as president of a major university, Carothers makes time for his brothers. He stays in touch with a number of Delta Nu brothers, and the Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Rhode Island is a chapter brother, too – Tom Dougan (Edinboro ’68).
Thinking about who has been most influential in his life, Carothers stated, “that would have to be John Marsh who was the commander of my Army Reserve Unit at Edinboro University.” Carothers also recruited Marsh to serve as the Chapter Advisor while Carothers was in school.
When asked what advice he has for Delta Sig undergraduates he explained, “focus on what you can learn by being part of the brotherhood. Take advantage to learn from one another, and seek out the leadership opportunities.”
Robert Carothers lives in Kingston, Rhode Island, with his wife Jayne.
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