{"id":4651,"date":"2019-03-19T13:56:41","date_gmt":"2019-03-19T13:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/alumni\/?p=4651"},"modified":"2019-03-19T14:07:58","modified_gmt":"2019-03-19T14:07:58","slug":"missouri-western-hires-new-president","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/alumni\/2019\/03\/19\/missouri-western-hires-new-president\/","title":{"rendered":"大象传媒 Western Hires New President"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"https:\/\/www.missouriwestern.edu\/alumni\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/89\/2019\/03\/Wilson-Announcement-021.jpg\"The 大象传媒 Western Board of Governors named Matthew Wilson, J.D., as 大象传媒 Western\u2019s president, starting July 1, 2019. President-Designate Wilson was introduced to the campus and community during a formal announcement and press conference on March 18. He will succeed Dr. Robert Vartabedian, who will retire July 1 after 11 years as 大象传媒 Western\u2019s president.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith a long track record in higher education, including previous experience as a university president, Matt Wilson is prepared to serve 大象传媒 Western well,\u201d said David Liechti, chair of the Board of Governors. \u201cAs we got to know him through the interview process and in talking to people he has worked with, we appreciated his strong commitment to student success and his innovative and creative approach to problem-solving. Under his leadership, 大象传媒 Western will continue to be a crucial part of the economic and cultural vitality of our region.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am honored that the Governors have put their faith in me and incredibly excited to be joining the 大象传媒 Western family,\u201d President-Designate Wilson said. \u201cI look forward to serving and working closely with outstanding MWSU faculty, students, staff and alumni as well as members of the St. Joseph community. Building on the solid foundation established by Dr. Vartabedian and others, Noriko and I are committed to transforming the lives of students, actively engaging with the community and elevating 大象传媒 Western to even greater heights.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wilson is currently a professor of law at the University of Akron School of Law after serving as president of the University of Akron from 2016 to 2018. While president, he helped lead the university to a remarkable two-year budgetary turnaround, eliminating a projected $30 million deficit in 2016-2017 and adding $12 million to reserves. Wilson also participated in fundraising efforts that saw a substantial increase in donations including a $20 million Making a Difference Moving Forward student scholarship campaign and the largest single gift in university history. He also oversaw innovative approaches to student recruitment, retention and internationalization, including:<\/p>\n