Matt Wyszynski appointed to leadership role in Williams Honors College

Dr. Matt Wyszynski

The University of Akron has named Dr. Matt Wyszynski as senior associate dean of the Williams Honors College. He will begin the position on Jan. 1, 2022, pending approval by the Board of Trustees at its December meeting.

“We are fortunate to have Dr. Wyszynski take on this important role that will positively impact the education and career preparedness of current and future students in the Williams Honors College,” said Executive Vice President and Provost John Wiencek. “I am confident his enthusiasm and leadership experience across three academic departments will continue to help promote scholarly excellence and recruitment not just for this special intellectual community, but the entire campus.”

Wyszynski has been with the University since 1998 and currently serves as chair of both the Modern Languages and English departments, acting chair of the Department of Philosophy, and professor of Modern Languages. Among his initiatives in these positions, Wyszynski aided in designing and implementing several certificates, including the Advanced Spanish for the Health Professions, Law Enforcement Ethics and Artificial Intelligence Ethics certificates. He also put into action an online course sequence for language requirements in Spanish and a new plan of study for English majors.

“As an alumnus of The University of Akron’s Williams Honors College, I am grateful and excited to be able to contribute to the continued success of the College and its students,” said Wyszynski. “As part of this, I want to focus on attracting more students from underrepresented groups, especially Hispanic students, to the College. I also want to engage with community partners and others to provide Honors students exclusive experiential learning opportunities both locally and globally.”

In his role as senior associate dean, Wyszynski will be responsible for maintaining and enriching the Honors curriculum, including Honors colloquia and Honors sections embedded within academic departments; planning and facilitating Williams Honors College events and activities; and recruiting a diverse pool of highly qualified students.

Wyszynski will report to the dean of the Williams Honors College and work closely with the associate dean for undergraduate research. In addition, Wyszynski will be part of the strategic enrollment team and charged with enhancing the program's reputation within the University, the local community and nationally.

Wyszynski earned both a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts in Romance Languages and Literatures from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Language and Literature from UA. He is the editor of three books and author or co-author of more than a dozen journal articles and book chapters.

Elsewhere on campus, Wyszynski serves on University Council’s Institutional Advancement Committee, the Faculty Assessment Committee and as faculty adviser for Roo Catholic. He is a founding member of the University of Akron Honors Alumni Association.

Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu