Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business

March 29, 2023

Dear Members of the Villanova Community,

Provost Maggitti and I are pleased to announce the appointment of Wen Mao, PhD, as the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business (VSB), effective August 1. Dr. Mao’s appointment is the result of a national search, led by a committee of faculty, administrators, students and alumni, that produced an impressive pool of candidates.

As the Helen and William O’Toole Dean, 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’s career spans more than three decades and encompasses roles as a scholar and administrator. She has been a faculty member at the Villanova School of Business since 1995, holding numerous leadership roles and currently serving as Vice Dean. In this role, Dr. Mao has oversight of all aspects of VSB’s academic and day-to-day operations, from recruitment and retention of faculty members to shepherding improvements related to faculty administration, including annual evaluations, rank and tenure and onboarding. She has also championed and implemented numerous initiatives to increase funding for research and teaching excellence and innovation, and made significant contributions to Villanova as a member of the University’s Academic Policy Committee, Data Governance Board, Asian Studies Committee, University Council for Information Technology and the Provost’s Search Committee.

As a scholar, Dr. Mao's research is focused 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.

Dr. Mao previously served as the associate dean of faculty and as chair of the Department of Economics. During her tenure at Villanova, she played 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 earned a Bachelor of Arts in management from Shanghai Maritime Institute (People’s Republic of China) and a Master of Arts and a doctorate in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Given Dr. 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. Provost Maggitti and I look forward to working with Dean Mao in her new leadership role.

I would also like to thank and recognize Provost Maggitti for his leadership of the search committee —Michele Marcolongo, PhD; Shelly Howton, PhD; Erasmus Kersting, PhD; Denise Downey, PhD; Narda Quigley, PhD; Beth Vallen, PhD; Melinda German; Kevin Noller; students Jose Garcia-Orozco and Danielle Hoeynck; and current Board of Trustees member Chris Gheysens—for the time, energy, and thoughtful attention given to selecting the next leader for the Villanova School of Business.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Mao on her new role at Villanova.

Sincerely,

Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA
President