The Board of Trustees of Michigan State University in East Lansing unanimously voted today to appoint Kevin M. Guskiewicz — a neuroscientist, sports medicine researcher, and academic leader — as the school’s 22nd president during a virtual meeting. He will begin his term on March 4, 2024.
Guskiewicz, 57, is currently serving at the 12th chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“I am eagerly looking forward to working with all Spartans to build on this great university’s strong historical foundation,” says Guskiewicz. “I intend to foster a culture of collaboration and, by working together, we can propel MSU to even greater eminence through its powerful commitment to student success, knowledge discovery, and land-grant service.”
The board also approved his appointment as a professor with tenure in the College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology.
Guskiewicz’s appointment followed a national search led by trustee Dennis Denno, chair of the presidential search committee, and trustee Brianna Scott, search committee vice chair, in partnership with executive search firm Isaacson, Miller. The process began in April 2023.
“The board and I are excited to welcome such an experienced leader as Kevin Guskiewicz to the Spartan community,” says Denno. “We are confident that he has the intellectual vision, broad worldview, and personal integrity to inspire our university community to new levels of excellence. And we look forward to working alongside him to foster a climate of community, engagement, and mutual respect.”
Since May, a 29-member committee appointed by the board that represented the full spectrum of the Spartan community — from faculty and staff to students and alums to university and community leaders — solicited input through seven public forums, numerous listening sessions and an online submission form where community members shared their ideas on the characteristics desired for MSU’s next president.
Guskiewicz joined UNC’s faculty as an assistant professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports in 1995, where he spent 28 years moving up the ranks as a professor and chair. He was named interim chancellor in February 2019 before being appointed chancellor in December 2019.
In addition to maintaining an active research portfolio throughout his career at UNC-Chapel Hill, he helped lead the school to a top-four ranking among public universities by U.S. News & World Report this year, jumping seven places to No. 22 in the country overall among public and private institutions.
Born and raised in Latrobe, Penn., Guskiewicz earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from West Chester University, a master’s in exercise physiology/athletic training from the University of Pittsburgh, and a doctorate in sports medicine from the University of Virginia.
Guskiewicz and his wife, Amy, have four children: Jacob, Nathan, Adam, and Tessa.
