Ohio State University Appoints New Dean and Director for Ohio State Newark

The Ohio State University has selected Matthew J. Smith as its next dean and director of The Ohio State University at Newark, effective Aug. 1. Smith currently serves as dean of the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences at Radford University, a comprehensive public university in Radford, Virginia, where he is also a professor of communication.

With his appointment, Smith will spearhead efforts at Ohio State Newark to align campus priorities and further strengthen the university’s commitment to student success, innovation in teaching and learning, research opportunities, and community engagement.

“Matt is not only an exceptional scholar and leader, but as a first-generation college graduate, he deeply believes in the transformative power of higher education,” said Ryan Schmiesing, senior vice provost for external engagement. “I look forward to his collaboration and leadership as our regional campuses continue to expand access and affordability, ensuring that future generations of Buckeyes can realize their potential.”

In his deanship at Radford, Smith leads the university’s largest college, which includes about 120 full-time faculty and up to 2,200 students. The college includes a school, eight departments, four interdisciplinary programs and Army ROTC.

Prior to joining Radford in 2018, Smith held leadership and faculty roles at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He served in various leadership roles at Wittenberg, including as Department of Communication chair, co-director of communication and business leadership experience, and director of cinema studies.

“I am so impressed with the work being done at Ohio State Newark and the commitment that I have seen [Ohio State] President [Walter “Ted”] Carter Jr. and his team express in re-prioritizing the regional campuses as an essential part of the university’s overall mission,” said Smith. “I’m excited to be a part of a team of regional deans carrying forward Ohio State’s land-grant mission in coordination with one another and with leadership in Columbus.”

Significant growth and development in Licking County, including a new Intel facility and the expansion of Meta and Google facilities, is creating new opportunities for Ohio State Newark. The SciDome, established through an exceptional public/private partnership between Ohio State Newark and The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art & Technology, is open to The Works’ guests, school tours and Ohio State Newark classes and programming. The campus is also home to the university’s Newark Earthworks Center. This interdisciplinary academic center holds a unique opportunity to promote scholarly engagement and research about Ohio’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks.

More than 1,500 first-year Ohio State students start their academic journeys on a regional campus. Students can complete the first one to three years of any of Ohio State’s 200-plus majors on the Newark campus before transitioning to the Columbus campus to complete their degree. Eight majors can be completed at Ohio State Newark.

“I’ve lived in or near Ohio for most of my life, and no other institution that I have seen is held in such high regard by its community or has demonstrated as much of a commitment to giving back to its community,” said Smith. “I am eager to get to know our long-term community partners and explore how we may welcome new partners into the fold.”

A native of Wheeling, W.Va., Smith earned his PhD in interpersonal communication and his Master of Arts in English from Ohio University, and his Bachelor of Arts in English from West Liberty State College. As a scholar, he has published 12 books and co-edits an ongoing international book series.

“We are grateful to Bill MacDonald, outgoing dean and director of the Newark campus, for his remarkable two decades of leadership,” said Karla Zadnik, interim executive vice president and provost. “We also extend our deep appreciation for the counsel of the search advisory committee, chaired by Patrick Louchouarn, senior vice provost for faculty.”