Athletic Director
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It was altogether fitting and proper that Robert L. Piper returned to Grambling as the new point man for the athletic department. He was named athletic director in January 1997, replacing Fred Hobdy as only the third AD in Grambling's history.
Piper was hired to restore decorum, order and confidence in the athletic department and guide Grambling through a crucial time in its history, by providing a new sense of direction. A personable, thinking administrator with a strong sense of accountability, he has the intelligence and public demeanor to "lead by example". Piper is efficient and effective and harbors no illusions about the task he faces.
Sports is his lifeblood. A former basketball letterman at Grambling, he regards athletics as a microcosm of life--full of challenges and goals; full of opportunities; full of setbacks; full of rules and regulations; and, full of penalties that must be imposed if rules are broken.
Piper is committed to running a clean program, to uphold the tradition and legacy of Grambling in every respect. He has initiated a positive and aggressive media campaign to repair GSU's athletic department's image. His down-to-earth rapport with people--college officials, students, fans, alumni and the corporate community--will enable him to bring a climate for success.
A variety of experiences prepared Piper for his new position. He has been a teacher and a coach, who produced championship basketball teams at Western High School in Washington, D.C. He later joined the sales force of the Equitable Life Assurance Society, specializing in business insurance and estate conservation, where he was a multi-million dollar producer and district manager.
In 1985, Piper returned to Grambling as Development Officer and served as the first executive director of the Grambling Athletic Foundation.
Piper later served as Special Assistant to the President for External Relations, acting driector of Alumni Affairs and GSU Bayou Classic Coordinator before leaving to become the Director of Development at Talladega College in Alabama in 1994.
He holds a master's degree in health and physical education from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.
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