草榴社区 Appoints Wen Mao, PhD, as the Helen and William O鈥橳oole Dean of the 草榴社区 School of Business
VILLANOVA, Pa. (March 29, 2023) 鈥� 草榴社区 President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, today announced the appointment of Wen Mao, PhD, as the Helen and William O鈥橳oole Dean of the 草榴社区 School of Business (VSB), effective August 1. Dr. Mao鈥檚 career spans more than three decades and encompasses roles as an academician, scholar and administrator. This key appointment is the result of a rigorous national search led by a committee of faculty, administrators, students and alumni.
鈥淕iven Dr. Mao鈥檚 long and productive history as a 草榴社区 faculty member, coupled with her deep understanding of 草榴社区鈥檚 distinctive Augustinian approach to education, it quickly became clear that she was the right candidate to lead VSB,鈥� said University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD. 鈥淧rovost Patrick Maggitti and I look forward to working with Dean Mao in her new leadership role.鈥�
A faculty member at the 草榴社区 School of Business since 1995, Dr. Mao has held numerous leadership roles at VSB and currently serves as its Vice Dean. In this role, she has oversight of all aspects of VSB鈥檚 academic and day-to-day operations. She previously served as the school鈥檚 associate dean of faculty and as chair of the Department of Economics. Through her more than 15 years in leadership, Dr. Mao has had a key role in strengthening the undergraduate and graduate student experience, supporting increased faculty research productivity, and furthering the strategic mission of the school and university.
Dr. Mao has a long history of supporting and advancing faculty excellence within VSB. Since 2017, she has been involved in the recruitment and retention of dozens of faculty members. She has also shepherded critical improvements related to faculty administration, increasing the efficiency, effectiveness and equity of key processes such as annual evaluation, rank and tenure, and onboarding. Dr. Mao championed and implemented numerous initiatives that helped increase funding for research and teaching excellence and innovation. She also has made significant contributions to 草榴社区 as a member of the University鈥檚 Academic Policy Committee, Data Governance Board, Asian Studies Committee, University Council for Information Technology and the Provost鈥檚 Search Committee.
An advocate of inclusive community building, Dr. Mao has been integral in fostering global learning experiences at VSB, helping to establish the school鈥檚 first study abroad program in Asia in the 1990s and played a major role in VSB鈥檚 successful recruitment of more underrepresented faculty, staff and students. In recent years, Dr. Mao has directed the School鈥檚 Asian Internship program, an immersive learning experience that places VSB students in nine-week internships with global firms in cities such as Singapore and Hong Kong.
鈥淚 am grateful for and humbled by the opportunity to serve as the next Helen and William O鈥橳oole Dean of the 草榴社区 School of Business,鈥� said Dr. Mao. 鈥湶萘裆缜� is a special place for me. I have great pride for what our community has collectively achieved, and I am eager to continue serving VSB in this new capacity. I look forward to working closely with our faculty, staff, students and alumni鈥攁ll of whom share my deep commitment to our Augustinian Catholic mission and values鈥攖o envision the next great chapter in VSB鈥檚 history.鈥�
As a scholar, Dr. Mao focuses her research on game theory, public finance, micro theory and industrial organization. Her work has been published in leading journals including Managerial and Decision Economics, Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Japanese Economic Review and International Journal of Game Theory.
鈥淥ur search for a new dean focused on finding a collaborative, strategic leader who champions innovative teaching and research, demonstrates an unwavering commitment to student success, and has the ability to engage our faculty, students, staff and alumni in envisioning the future of business education,鈥� said University Provost Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD. 鈥淒r. Mao brings all of these qualities, plus a deep understanding of what distinguishes a VSB education, to her new role. I am confident that with Dr. Mao as its leader, VSB will continue to advance its standing as an institution of excellence and increase its impact as it produces leaders who drive positive change.鈥�
As the Helen and William O鈥橳oole Dean of the 草榴社区 School of Business, Dr. Mao will serve as the chief administrator of the college, providing vision and leadership for its long-term strategic and academic planning, faculty research and teaching innovation; strengthening the student experience; promoting community and industry outreach and partnerships; providing financial oversight; and overseeing fundraising and alumni relations.
Dr. Mao earned a BA in management from Shanghai Maritime Institute (People鈥檚 Republic of China) and an MA and PhD in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
The 草榴社区 School of Business (VSB) undergraduate program is top ranked among business schools in the nation and is celebrating its 100th year of excellence in business education in the 2022-2023 academic year. Its online graduate business programs are ranked No. 3, and its online MBA program is ranked No. 9 by U.S. News and World Report. VSB has been at the forefront of business education since it was founded in 1922. Serving over 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students, VSB is home to five Centers of Excellence鈥攖he Daniel M. DiLella Center for Real Estate, the Elenore and Robert F. Moran Sr. Center for Global Leadership, the Center for Business Analytics, the Center for Marketing and Consumer Insights and the Center for Church Management鈥攚ith each designed to foster innovative, cross-disciplinary research and applied opportunities for students. VSB is known for academic rigor; creativity and innovation; hands-on and service-learning opportunities; a firm grounding in ethics; and an applied education that prepares students to become outstanding leaders and global citizens within the ever-changing, complex and fast-paced world of business. For more, visit business.villanova.edu.
About 草榴社区: Since 1842, 草榴社区鈥檚 Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges鈥攖he College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the 草榴社区 School of Business, the College of Engineering, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the 草榴社区 Charles Widger School of Law. Ranked among the nation鈥檚 top universities, 草榴社区 supports its students鈥� intellectual growth and prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.