Matthew D. Shank, Ph.D.
President, Marymount University
Arlington, VirginiaMatthew D. Shank is Marymount University’s sixth president. Taking office on July 1, 2011, he said, “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead Marymount University, an institution known for its Catholic character, academic excellence, and strong commitment to students. I look forward to working with the Marymount community to continue to advance our University’s educational mission and reputation for excellence.”
Before coming to Marymount, Dr. Shank served for three years as dean of the School of Business Administration and professor of Marketing at the University of Dayton, a national, doctoral-level university sponsored by the Society of Mary. During his tenure there, he led the revision of the MBA curriculum, created two Academic Centers of Excellence, established an MBA concentration and certificate in Cybersecurity, led the School through a successful AACSB reaffirmation, and designed a “Business and Marianist Values” Living/Learning Community for first-year students. He also established a Center for Academic Success to provide student support in the areas of advising and career services; created a strategic diversity plan for the School; and started “Flyer Consulting,” a nonprofit, student-run consulting business to assist nonprofit organizations in the Dayton region with their business challenges. In addition, during his tenure as dean, Dr. Shank raised more than $12 million for scholarships, centers, and programs within the School of Business.
Prior to joining the University of Dayton, Dr. Shank was a faculty member at Northern Kentucky University. There, as chair of the Department of Management and Marketing, he designed a university-wide marketing communication plan, conducted image studies for the university, developed strategic plans for the Management and Marketing Department and the Steely Library, and assisted corporate and not-for-profit clients in developing their strategic plans. During the 2003-04 academic year, he was an American Council on Education Fellow, assigned to the Office of the Chancellor at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Shank has also held academic appointments at the University of Mississippi and Southern Illinois University.
An accomplished scholar, Dr. Shank has written several books, published numerous articles, and presented at many conferences. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Wyoming and a Master of Arts in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Missouri/St. Louis.