Matt Walker

About Matt Walker

I am dedicated to making people who I work with better people and employees. I prefer to lead from the front but without fanfare. Hard work has always been my go-to, and it has helped me get to where I am today. I try to incorporate the code of the samurai in how I lead: to act with integrity, respect, courage, honor, compassion, sincerity, and loyalty. The people I have worked with and for have responded well to me as their leader/co-worker and I attribute that to behaving as the samurai of ancient Japan…without the sword.My experiences as an advisor, teacher, director, and leader have prepared me to be able to work with all kinds of people at all levels of the organization. I enjoy working along side of people where the work is the focus, and the effort is the reward. To me, success is a process and not a moment, and I want everyone around me to enjoy the journey.

Experience

1. Director, School of Communication and Mass Media

   Northwest Missouri State University

   Aug 2001 — Present · Maryville, MO, US

   Supervises 15 faculty and three professional staff, overseeing scheduling, teaching assignments, hiring process, performance evaluations and discipline across 12 different academic programs, with seven different extra-curricular programs. Oversees a $300K budget each year, procuring necessary resources from University funds, donors, and external stakeholders. Manages the Michael Faust Media Lab, KZLX-FM studio, KNWT-TV studio, Kelly Ferguson News Studio, and Northwest Virtual Reality Lab. Develops and cultivates external relationships in order to adapt curriculum, recruit students, and find new financial benefactors. Acts as Chief Academic and Administrative Officer for the School. Serves on the Extended Leadership Team (2012-present), Provost’s Council (2015-present), and Leadership Forum (2015-present). Chaired three different nationwide searches for the University’s athletic director (2011, 2013, 2018). Served as Commencement Master of Ceremonies since 2010 for winter and spring graduations. Key accomplishments included having acted as principal investigator of a grant from the Hawthorn Foundation, which funded the development of a competency-based master’s program in Strategic Communication. Created three online degree programs, along with four new majors and four new minors. Designed a new social media plan to recruit students and reengage School alumni with the first-year noting a 100% increase in student matriculation to School majors. Created Missouri’s first competency-based academic degree program, Strategic Communication, in 2017. Procured and directed the improvement of a large market-level television production truck, saving the University $230K+ in costs through corporate and alumni donors. Coordinated and managed two major gifts to the School of Communication and Mass Media; the Michael Faust Media Lab and the Kelly Ferguson News Studio

Education

• PennWest Edinboro

  Master of Arts, Communications

  1994 — 1996

• University of Missouri-Columbia

  Ph.D., Organizational Communication, General

• Grove City College

  BA, Communication Arts

  1990 — 1994