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Dr. Royrickers Cook provides university-wide leadership for all outreach and engagement initiatives, spanning 12 colleges and schools, aimed at advancing Auburn University’s outreach mission of applying its educational resources to problems and issues faced by citizens of the State of Alabama and beyond. Dr. Cook has led the University Outreach division since 2006.

Dr. Cook is directly responsible for the following Auburn University outreach centers and institutes: the Center for Educational Outreach and Engagement, the Government and Economic Development Institute, the Office of Professional and Continuing Education, the Encyclopedia of Alabama, the Office of Public Service, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, the Office of Faculty Engagement and Outreach Global.

In addition to his administrative responsibilities, he is actively involved in connecting Auburn University to the international community. This involvement includes working on international education programs in South America, Central America, Africa and Asia. Many of these programs promote faculty and student exchanges, educational tours, international program development, and training for educators, businesses and governmental officials from across the globe.

A native of Auburn, Alabama, Dr. Cook holds three degrees in Public Administration and Public Policy from Auburn University, culminating with a Ph.D. in 2000. He also occasionally lectures in the Department of Political Science and the Master of Public Administration Program. He has been principal or co-principal investigator on several large federal grants at the university. Dr. Cook also serves on the boards of several community and academic organizations.