May 04, 2018

Matthew Rousu, dean, Sigmund Weis School of Business Matthew Rousu, dean, Sigmund Weis School of BusinessMatthew Rousu has been named dean of Susquehanna University’s Sigmund Weis School of Business (SWSB) following a nationwide search.

Rousu has been serving in an interim capacity since May 2017 after the departure of Dean Marsha Kelliher to the presidency of Walsh College in Troy, Mich.

“I’m excited to continue in this role for the foreseeable future,” Rousu said. “Our faculty are doing exceptional work with teaching, research and service. I will continue to do everything I can to support my colleagues and ensure that our students continue to receive one of the best business educations in the country.”

A Minnesota native, Rousu joined the Sigmund Weis School faculty in 2004 as an assistant professor of economics after serving for two years as a research consultant for Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina.

A popular teacher, avid researcher and former faculty representative on Susquehanna’s Board of Trustees, Rousu was promoted to full professor and Warehime chair of the Department of Economics, in part to mentor junior business school faculty on research. He also helped craft the business school’s research guidelines for faculty members to help Susquehanna continue to meet the requirements set by the international Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

During Rousu’s interim tenure as dean, he

  • Formed the SWSB executive council, which provides strategic advice to the business school.
  • Created an agreement with the University of Chester in the United Kingdom so that Susquehanna students will receive a five-week internship when they study abroad in spring 2019.
  • Formed the Center for Economics, Business, and Entrepreneurship Education to assist teachers in bringing economic and business education into K-12 classrooms in the region.
  • Created an agreement between Susquehanna and Regent’s University in London to enable Susquehanna graduates to directly enroll into Regent’s master’s in luxury brand management program and receive a scholarship.

“I am delighted that Matt will continue in the dean’s role, focusing the energy and commitment he’s already shown to help lead the Sigmund Weis School of Business forward,” said Linda McMillin, provost and dean of the faculty. “He is an excellent colleague and cares deeply about the success of our students.”

A prolific writer, Rousu’s research and expertise has been featured by many media outlets, including the Associated Press, Bloomberg Business Week, Forbes, Time, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report and The Washington Post.

His book Broadway and Economics: Economic Lessons from Show Tunes is forthcoming this year from Routledge.

The Sigmund Weis School of Business is one of a few undergraduate-only business programs to achieve accreditation by AACSB International. The accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education and has been earned by fewer than 5 percent of the world’s business schools. Other AACSB schools include Harvard Business School and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.