Rooted in Purpose: Alumnus Robert Wallace Jr. Leads with Vision in Education

Wallace serving as Metro Nashville Public Schools chief of staff

Belmont alumnus Robert Wallace Jr. took an unconventional path to becoming chief of staff for Metro Nashville Public Schools.  

“I came to college with a very narrow view of what I wanted my life to look like, feel like and be like,” he said. 

With the intention of working in corporate law, the Nashville native earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Jack C. Massey College of Business in 2013. 

Little did he know, a single credit-hour course required during his final semester as a senior would completely alter his professional trajectory. The senior capstone course was focused on career exploration and forced Wallace to confront a sneaking suspicion that he continuously ran from in the past.  

“Taking that course my last semester at Belmont was really powerful for me, because for the first time, I reflected on my purpose,” Wallace shared. 

Although it was a positive and formative time, Wallace spent his undergraduate years avoiding deep, reflective time because he was afraid that listening to his inner voice would cause a significant deviation from his carefully curated career path.  

In the course, students were asked a question: If you could do any job for free, what would it be? 

“I said, I would be a teacher,” he recalled. 

This realization prompted Wallace to lean into a new calling and focus his senior capstone on education, exploring nontraditional paths into the teaching profession as a non-teacher whose training was all business up to that point. 

“In some ways I wish I would have taken that course sooner,” he confessed. “But everything happens for a reason. It came at the right time in my academic progression and my professional maturation. It's through the College of Business that I found my passion for serving students and families in education.” 

Using Purpose as a Compass 

After graduating from Belmont, Wallace spent four years teaching middle school math, science, English and social studies in MNPS through Teach for America. He has served as Chief Operating Officer at a local education nonprofit PENCIL and Senior Education Advisor to former Nashville Mayor John Cooper. He also served as the Executive Officer of Resource Strategy for MNPS before being promoted to Chief of Staff. 

“Returning to Nashville Public Schools has truly been the highlight of my career,” he said. “As a graduate of Nashville Public Schools and former teacher, it’s special for me to return to the school system that prepared me to lead well in my community.”  

While much of his instructional experience has been in the K-12 setting, Wallace briefly taught in Belmont’s College of Education as an adjunct professor. “Some of my students were current MNPS teachers,” he shared. “It gave me a deeper understanding of what they’re facing and how I can support them from the district level.” 

His business background has also served him every step of the way. “Belmont’s curriculum was so strong, I use those business principles daily,” he noted. “Doing business is probably one of the oldest engagement exercises within the community.” 

As a graduate of the Massey College of Business, Wallace credits the University not just with equipping him with technical knowledge, but with helping him unearth his deeper sense of purpose.

Leading with Balance 

Guided by a philosophy of servant leadership, Wallace sees his role not just as a decision-maker but as an example for those on his team. “Leadership isn’t just philosophical — it’s operational,” he said. “It’s about how I prioritize my time, serve my team and build habits that keep things from falling out of balance.” 

Maintaining that balance draws from a lesson rooted in his senior capstone course: the importance of making time for honest reflection and intentional growth. 

“I think it's important to build habits and routines of reflecting on my experiences and ensuring that things are consistently in balance,” he said. “We've experienced historic success here in [Metro] Nashville Public Schools. To continue that, we have to lead with excellence and precision — and that starts with reflecting on our own practices and ways of doing.” 

Words of Wisdom for Future Leaders 

To current students and recent graduates, Wallace offers simple but transformative advice: lean into the discomfort of exploration. “This is one of the few times in life where you can explore without penalty,” he said. 

He urges students to ask themselves two questions that have helped guide him through his career: What impact do I want to make? and How do I want to make that impact?  

“You're going to evolve and adapt,” he added. “It's important to get comfortable with evolution and get comfortable with adapting based on how you evolve as a human, as a person, as a leader.”