Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz will become the next president of Michigan State University, effective Mar. 4. He will also take on the role of tenured professor in the school’s kinesiology department.
Guskiewicz – a neuroscientist, sports medicine researcher, and academic leader – is currently chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
During his time at UNC, he founded the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center; led the school’s $1.2 billion research enterprise; created a Campus Safety Commission; and appointed a special commission to look at the UNC’s history with race.
In 2011, he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for his work on sport-related concussions. In 2013, Time magazine named him one of 18 “innovators and problem-solvers that are inspiring change in America” in 2013.
“Serving as the chancellor of an Association of American Universities institution, he has navigated the complexities of higher education with a strategic vision that has led to institutional growth and success,” said Dr. Jerlando F. L. Jackson, dean of the MSU College of Education and search committee member. “His ability to inspire, innovate and guide an academic institution through the dynamic landscape of modern education is a testament to his exceptional leadership. I am confident that his decisive leadership will guide MSU with the same clarity and purpose.”
Guskiewicz holds a Ph.D. in sports medicine from the University of Virginia; an M.S. in exercise physiology/athletic training from the University of Pittsburgh; and a B.S. in athletic training from West Chester University.