Expertise
- Upper Shore Cluster
- Field Operations
- Area Extension Director
- Fiscal and Personnel Management
Education
- Ed.D. - Liberty University, Educational Leadership. Lynchburg, VA
- Ed.S. - Liberty University, Educational Leadership. Lynchburg, VA
- Grad. Cert. - Longwood University, Social Policy and Administration, Farmville, VA
- M.C.J. - Faulkner University, Criminal Justice, Alpha Phi Sigma honors, Montgomery, AL
- M.S. - George Mason University, Schar School of Policy & Government, Peacekeeping Operations & Policy, Fairfax, VA
- B.S. - Liberty University, Government – Pre-Law. Lynchburg, VA
- Dip. - Word of Life Bible Institute, Youth Ministries. Pottersville, NY
- Dip. - Word of Life Bible Institute, Biblical Studies. Pottersville, NY
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- Tennessee Police Officer Standards & Training (POST) Certification, Dayton Police Department, Dayton, TN (2015)
- Texas Basic Peace Officer Certification (TCOLE) - East Texas Police Academy @ Kilgore College, Kilgore, TX (2012)
- Virginia Basic Law Enforcement Certification (DCJS) - Central Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy, Lynchburg, VA (1996)
Dr. Paul R. Rickert serves as Area Extension Director for Caroline, Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s Counties, providing administrative leadership for multi-county Extension operations across the Upper Shore. In this role, he is responsible for personnel management, fiscal oversight, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that county offices are effectively supported through regular presence, clear communication, and coordinated administrative processes. Working in collaboration with faculty, program leaders, and campus partners, he helps align local needs with Extension priorities by facilitating communication, identifying opportunities, and connecting faculty and staff with resources. While program content is led by faculty and program leaders, he supports program delivery by strengthening the operational, fiscal, and partnership environment in which programs are implemented.
Prior to joining Extension, he held academic and administrative leadership roles at Bryan College, LeTourneau University, and Liberty University, where he served in positions including dean, program director, and faculty member in criminal justice and human services. At Liberty University, he led the development and launch of the institution’s first fully online bachelor’s degree program, including curriculum design, course development, and faculty recruitment, and directed the program through its early growth.
Dr. Rickert served as a police officer and deputy sheriff (full-time and reserve) from 1996 to 2016 and completed law enforcement academy training in Virginia, Texas, and Tennessee. He is also an Army veteran, having served in the Virginia Army National Guard in the 29th Infantry Division.
His academic and professional interests include governance, public policy, and the intersection of justice and society. Beginning with a year in Denmark as a Rotary exchange student at age 16, he has pursued extensive international experience and led multiple student programs overseas, reflecting a sustained interest in global travel and cross-cultural engagement.
