President John Y. Walz, Ph.D.
Dr. Walz is only the fifth president in MSOE’s 122-year history and has guided the university since 2016. In his new role as President Emeritus, he will focus his efforts on fundraising and external outreach to support the university’s Next Bold Step campaign and long-term strategic priorities.
The Impact of Dr. John Walz
The impact of Walz’ leadership can be seen across campus in new construction, programs, and developments that enhanced academics and student life, supported MSOE’s mission to offer hands-on learning experiences, and strengthened community partnerships and more.
One of Walz’ first projects at MSOE was the implementation of a strategic plan. Walz and MSOE began supporting those commitments with the creation of a new degree, construction of campus advancements, improvements to student life with dorm and dining enhancements, and so much more.
Walz was instrumental in the creation of the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree with a focus on artificial intelligence at MSOE, joining Carnegie Mellon as one of the first two universities in the nation to offer such an undergraduate degree. In order to support the technology forward degree and advance other academic programs, Walz worked with alumnus Dwight Diercks to develop the Dwight and Dian Diercks Computational Science Hall. The hall opened in September 2019 and is filled with next generation technologies that position MSOE at the forefront of artificial intelligence education.
Additional renovations across MSOE’s campus have been made under Walz’ leadership, including the creation of the Spitzer Dining Commons and the Welcome Center, the transformation of Roy W. Johnson Residence Hall into Hermann Viets Tower (a living-learning community) and Regents Residence Hall into Mellowes Hall, the development of the University Terrace, the expansion of the Ruehlow Nursing Complex, the creation of the We Energies STEM Center at MSOE, the development of Raiders Stadium in partnership with Nicolet High School, construction of Raiders Field on campus, the acquisition of a building adjacent to campus, on Knapp Street, for future development, and the acquisition and renovation of the building which now houses the Patricia E. Kern Conservatory of Music.
Campus Enhancements
Dwight and Dian Diercks Computational Science Hall
Robert Spitzer Dining Commons
Hermann Viets Tower
Mellowes Hall
Ruehlow Nursing Complex
We Energies STEM Center
University Terrace
Raiders Stadium
Raiders Field
Patricia E. Kern Conservatory of Music
In March 2025 Walz announced the university’s largest comprehensive campaign to date, the Next Bold Step: MSOE’s Campaign to Accelerate Innovation. This $125 million fundraising campaign includes the $76.5 million Robert D. Kern Engineering Innovation Center, which is set to break ground in July and be completed by fall 2027, the Dwight and Dian Diercks School of Advanced Computing, student scholarships, faculty support, student support, operational support and general excellence.
Outside of campus, Walz is an active board member for the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Wisconsin Technology Council, Wisconsin Policy Forum and Higher Education Regional Alliance, and is a member of the NCAA Division III Presidents Council. He also participates in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, Association of Independent Technological Universities, National Association of Independent Colleges, Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges, and Rotary of Milwaukee.
Walz earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Tulane University. After six years as a process support engineer for Shell Oil Company, he left to pursue a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He received his Ph.D. in 1992 and returned to Tulane as an assistant professor. In 1997, Walz joined Yale University’s faculty as an associate professor of chemical engineering and in 2002 he became the department’s chairman. In 2005 he became professor and head of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Virginia Tech and in 2012 Walz became dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Kentucky.