Nonprofits and Education
President
Milwaukee School of Engineering | Milwaukee
John Walz joined Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2016, becoming the college’s fifth president. Under his leadership, MSOE received its largest-ever gift, a $34 million donation to build a new computational science hall on its downtown campus, and created a new bachelor of science in computer science degree focused on artificial intelligence.
In 2020, the college opened several new facilities, including the Robert Spitzer Dining Commons, We Energies STEM Center and the Ruehlow Nursing Complex lab expansion. The following year, it completed a $37 million renovation and expansion of a residential hall, creating Hermann Viets Tower.
MSOE has also built partnerships with area employers, particularly Milwaukee-based senior living industry supplier Direct Supply. In 2019, Direct Supply completed a $14 million renovation of an Innovation & Technology Center on MSOE’s campus, which connects professors and students with research projects and internships at the company.
Earlier this year, the school unveiled plans to build a $2.9 million softball stadium on its campus for its NCAA Division III women’s softball team.
Outside of campus, Walz has served on the board of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Wisconsin Technology Council and Higher Education Regional Alliance.
Prior to joining MSOE, Walz was dean of the college of engineering at the University of Kentucky and head of Virginia Tech’s Department of Chemical Engineering and chairman of Yale University’s Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering.
Education: Bachelor’s and master’s, Tulane University; doctorate, Carnegie Mellon University