Students pose for a group photo around TUJ Dean Matthew Wilson (front center) during Welcome Week in the spring 2025 semester.
Matthew Wilson, dean of the Japan campus of Temple University (TUJ), was honored with the Diamond Leadership Award for Global Impact and Excellence in Higher Education and International Collaboration on April 12, 2025, at a ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to higher education, particularly his transformative leadership in fostering innovation, growth, personal development, and international collaboration at TUJ and other institutions.
Reflecting on the honor, Wilson attributed the award to the collective efforts of staff, faculty, and institutional partners who have worked alongside him to advance global education. “This recognition is not about me—it’s about the incredible teams and communities I have had the privilege of working with at TUJ and my previous institutions,” Wilson said. “Together, we have tirelessly worked to build pathways for students to thrive, expanded international opportunities, and created lasting impact in global education.”
Prioritizing students and global engagement, Wilson is a visionary servant leader whose career in the U.S. and Asia has transformed higher education and positively impacted thousands of students on an individual basis. At TUJ, he has spearheaded efforts to double undergraduate student enrollment, launch a major satellite location in Kyoto, foster student success, and forge key partnerships with prefectural governments, municipalities, and academic institutions across the globe while pioneering innovative opportunities for TUJ students.
His career includes serving as president of two U.S. public universities, the University of Akron and Missouri Western State University, and a distinguished tenure in legal education as dean and professor. Known for his commitment to excellence, global connectivity, innovation, and student engagement, Wilson holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Utah and a juris doctor from Temple University. Before his higher education career, he worked as an international lawyer in Florida and engaged in cross-border business in Japan.
The Diamond Leadership Awards are organized by the Not Alone Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, dedicated to raising awareness about chronic kidney disease and enhancing the lives of patients through educational programs, medical resources, and financial assistance. The awards recognize celebrities, corporate executives, politicians, university leaders, and others who have demonstrated excellence in their professions and made a meaningful impact on their communities. Past honorees include George Lucas (producer of Star Wars), Dionne Warwick (singer), Hill Harper (actor), Queen Latifah (actress), Johnnie Booker (Coca-Cola executive), as well as ambassadors, governors, state supreme court justices, other university presidents, and other distinguished individuals.
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- Temple University, Japan Campus Awards Inaugural Leadership Scholarship to Five Students (June 5, 2024)