Dean Mao Wen Mao, PhD, was appointed the new Helen and William O’Toole Dean of VSB on August 1 after a rigorous national search by a committee of faculty, administrators, students and alumni. But she is certainly no stranger to VSB. Dean Mao first came to Villanova in 1995 as an assistant professor of Economics. “I was drawn to Villanova for its commitment to research and teaching because both are equally important to me,” she explains. Her father and great grandfather were professors, and they had a profound influence on her desire to pursue teaching. Once she was here, she was immediately drawn to Villanova’s strong commitment to community. During her 28 years at Villanova, Dean Mao has served in a variety of academic and administrative roles. In 2007, she was named chair of the Economics Department and continued to progress in her career, serving as associate dean of faculty in 2017 and vice dean in 2022. University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 CLAS stated, “given Dean Mao’s long and productive history as a Villanova faculty member, coupled with her deep understanding of Villanova’s distinctive Augustinian approach to education, it quickly became clear that she was the right candidate to lead VSB.”
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Villanova Business Winter 2024