{"id":5611,"date":"2021-05-21T18:11:38","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T18:11:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/?page_id=5611"},"modified":"2026-04-13T01:36:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T01:36:26","slug":"uapresidents-wilson","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/uapresidents-wilson\/","title":{"rendered":"From McCollester to Miller: UA’s Past from a Presidential Perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/a> | McCollester<\/a> | Rexford<\/a> | Cone<\/a> | Knight<\/a> | Priest<\/a> | Church<\/a> | Kolbe<\/a> | Zook<\/a> | Simmons<\/a> | Auburn<\/a> | Guzzetta<\/a> | Muse<\/a> | Elliot<\/a> | Ruebel<\/a> | Proenza<\/a> | Scarborough<\/a> | Wilson<\/a> | Green<\/a> | Miller<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Matthew J. Wilson<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

(2016-2018)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Matthew<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Matthew Wilson was named the 17th President of The University of Akron by unanimous vote of The UA Board of Trustees on Oct. 19, 2016, after having served as interim president for about three months. As president, Wilson placed students first while emphasizing academic quality, innovation, research, globalization, entrepreneurship, flexibility in programming, and affordability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his tenure, President Wilson led a collective effort that resulted in elimination of debt and deep cost savings, an increase in new freshmen enrollment, and improved retention rates. He also devised and implemented a unique \u201cguaranteed\u201d scholarship program, enhanced administrative transparency, improved relations with the faculty and the community, and increased enrollment of international students and fostered international partnerships. He also facilitated the creation of a varsity esports team at the University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before his presidency, Wilson served as Dean of The University of Akron School of Law, from 2014 to 2016. Under his leadership, Wilson implemented innovative and creative programming, increased first year student enrollment by 40 percent, achieved for the Law School specialty rankings and national awards, and oversaw the $21 million comprehensive renovation of the Law School facilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Wilson earned a B.S. in Political Science and a B.A. in Asian Studies, with a minor in Japanese, at the University of Utah in 1995, and a Juris Doctor at Temple University, in 1999. Wilson has also worked as an attorney in Florida, New Jersey, and Japan. In addition to his higher education and legal career, Wilson has worked for several companies in Japan, including a hydrological and meteorological instruments manufacturer and a large electronics maker.  After leaving The University of Akron, Wilson served as the fifth President of Missouri Western State University, from 2019 to 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This truly is a fine university with an outstanding faculty, committed administrators and contract professionals, and an excellent staff. We play a vital role in the local community, and even more significantly, in the lives and futures of our students.” <\/p>– Matthew J. Wilson<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n

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President Wilson with Hower Family<\/strong>, 2017
Photograph Courtesy of University Communications and Marketing<\/em><\/em>
 
During President Wilson\u2019s administration, The University of Akron received the largest gift in its history\u2014more than $20 million from the estate of Jean Hower Taber, a long-time community volunteer, philanthropist, and friend of UA.  About two-thirds of the gift was used to support scholarships while the remainder was used to underwrite maintenance for UA\u2019s Hower House, the historic Victorian home and former residence of Akron\u2019s prominent Hower Family.  The following year, the Student Union was named the Jean Hower Taber Student Union in her honor. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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President Wilson Taking Selfie at New Student Convocation<\/strong>, 2017
Photograph Courtesy of University Communications and Marketing<\/em><\/em>

One of President Wilson\u2019s initiatives to place more focus on students was relaunching the University\u2019s New Student Convocation. The purpose of the event was to introduce new Zips to the UA community, celebrate our traditions and pride, and affirm the University\u2019s commitment to their success. In 2016, the event was more formal, held in E.J. Thomas Hall with a faculty processional in academic regalia and speeches by faculty and administrators. However, the following year took a more fun and relaxed approach.  Held out of doors at FirstEnergy Stadium, it concluded with President Wilson taking a selfie with 2,000 of his new friends.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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International Center Ribbon Cutting<\/strong>, 2017
Photograph Courtesy of University Communications and Marketing<\/em><\/em>
 
President Wilson (second from left) and others cut the ribbon to open the International Center at The University of Akron.  The center is a one-stop-shop for international students, immigration services, and those interested in education abroad.  One of President Wilson\u2019s major goals and accomplishments during his administration was recruiting and keeping international students, and his connections and teaching experience in Japan greatly assisted with this.  As Wilson stated, \u201cwe welcome students from all countries, from all walks of life, all backgrounds, from all religions, from all creeds, all orientations. . . . by going even more global, by having that emphasis on internationalization, our classrooms can be even more enriched.\u201d  <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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President Wilson Playing Basketball with Student<\/strong>, 2017
Photograph Courtesy of University Communications and Marketing<\/em><\/em>

President Wilson was known for being very approachable and having an open door policy and a great rapport with students.  He often gave out his cellphone number, business card, and e-mail address to students and provided them extra attention.  One of his approaches to developing a better relationship with students was to share his love and knowledge of the game of basketball, setting up a basketball goal outside Bucthel Hall and the Student Union where he would allow students to challenge him to a game of one-on-one or shooting contest. Winners would get a Starbucks gift card.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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President Wilson at Bike Share Kick-Off Event<\/strong>, 2017
Photograph Courtesy of University Communications and Marketing<\/em><\/em>

One of President Wilson\u2019s more minor, but memorable accomplishments was creating the University\u2019s bike share program.  The program was a collaboration between the University, the Knight Foundation, and Summit Cycling Center. It featured bright red bicycles placed on campus that could be signed out by members of the campus community and used to get around the campus and the city.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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UA Esports Team<\/strong>, 2018<\/em>
Photograph Courtesy of University Communications and Marketing<\/em><\/em>
 <\/em>
One of President Wilson\u2019s ways to make The University of Akron distinctive and more attractive to perspective students was to create a varsity esports team.  When the program was launched in 2017, UA was the first public university in northern Ohio to create a varsity esports program.  According to Wilson, \u201cThe University of Akron and its students will benefit significantly from the creation of an esports program. Embracing esports allows the University to continue attracting top students while providing an innovative pathway for students to flourish academically, socially and professionally.\u201d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

“He [President Wilson] clearly has led the way to stabilize the University in terms of its reputation, its finances, its enrollment, its donations and its relationships with its many stakeholders.”<\/p>– UA Board of Trustees Chair Roland Bauer<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Introduction | McCollester | Rexford | Cone | Knight | Priest | Church | Kolbe | Zook | Simmons | Auburn | Guzzetta | Muse | Elliot | Ruebel | Proenza | Scarborough | Wilson | Green | Miller Matthew J. Wilson (2016-2018) Matthew Wilson was named the 17th President of The University of Akron … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “From McCollester to Miller: UA’s Past from a Presidential Perspective”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4415,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5611","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4415"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5611"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5611\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10695,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5611\/revisions\/10695"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uakron.edu\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}