| Dean and President of | |
| Term Start: | September 2020 |
| Order2: | 5th |
| Title2: | President of |
| Term Start2: | July 1, 2019 |
| Term End2: | July 31, 2020 |
| Predecessor2: | Robert Vartabedian |
| Successor2: | Elizabeth Kennedy |
| Title3: | 16th President of the University of Akron |
| Term Start3: | July 1, 2016 |
| Term End3: | July 31, 2018 Acting: July 1, 2016 – October 19, 2016 |
| Predecessor3: | Scott Scarborough |
| Successor3: | John C. Green (acting) |
| Birth Name: | Matthew J. Wilson |
| Alma Mater: | University of Utah (BA/BS) Temple University (JD) |
| Residence: | St. Joseph, Missouri |
| Profession: | Professor |
| Spouse: | Noriko |
| Children: | 3 sons |
Matthew J. Wilson is an American academic with an extensive global background, serving as the president and dean of Temple University, Japan Campus since 2000.[1] Under Wilson's leadership, the Japan campus of Temple University (TUJ) in Tokyo experienced a 60% increase in its undergraduate student body from 2020 to 2023, rolled out new programs, and entered into host of collaborative relationships with governments and educational institutions.[2] Wilson has spent nearly 10 years with Temple University. Between 2003-09, Wilson served as senior associate dean, general counsel, and law professor at Temple's Japan campus. Wilson also led the Beasley School of Law Programs in Japan, which nearly quadrupled in size under his leadership.
Wilson served as the fifth president of Missouri Western State University from July 2019 to August 2020. Prior to being at Missouri Western, Wilson served as president of the University of Akron from 2016 to 2018, serving as dean of its law school before that.[3] Wilson brought innovative scholarship programs, creative scheduling approaches, service learning opportunities, and extensive global programs to both the University of Akron and Missouri Western. He also is known for his role in fueling academic and extracurricular esports programs.
Wilson earned a bachelor's degree in Asian studies and political science with a minor in Japanese from the University of Utah. He earned his J.D. degree from Temple University.[4]
Prior to his start in academia, Wilson practiced law in Florida.[5] He also for a time practiced law in New Jersey.
From 2009 to 2014 Wilson was a professor of law at the University of Wyoming. He also served as associate dean of student affairs and associate dean of academic affairs in the law school there. While in this position he was over enrollment and saw it increase by 20%.[6]
From 2014 to 2016 Wilson served as dean of the University of Akron college of law. During his leadership enrollment increased and for the first time the law school was given a tier-one ranking.[7]
As president of the University of Akron Wilson finished the financial turnaround of his predecessor Scott Scarborough but managed to do it in a way that did not alienate significantly either the university community or the larger community of North-east Ohio. Wilson also began the process to bring back baseball as an inter-collegiate sport at the University of Akron, which was one of the least popular cost saving measures of Scarborough. Under Wilson the University of Akron also added academic approaches to esports as well as a varsity esports program.[8]
Wilson was named the fifth president of Missouri Western State University in March 2019.[9]