Jack M. Wilson, Ph.D., email id: jwilson address: umassp . edu
President Emeritus The University of Massachusetts and
Distinguished Professor of Higher Education, Emerging Technologies, and
Innovation
The University of Massachusetts Lowell
Dr. Jack Wilson served as the 25th President of the University of Massachusetts system, from September 2, 2003 to June 30, 2011 and is now President Emeritus and University Distinguished Professor of Higher Education, Emerging Technologies, and Innovation. <story> He will work on projects throughout the University, but his home campus will be UMass Lowell. He is also working on several projects in Science Education at UMass Boston. He serves on the board of the UMass Memorial Medical Center. He is the Chair of the Department of Education's FIPSE Advisory Board and also Chair of the New England Defense Technology Initiative.
Dr. Wilson established the Jack M. Wilson Presidential Scholarship Fund with a gift of an Insurance Policy worth $1,775,000 -funded with performance bonuses that he was to have received under his contracts over the years. To that was added $230,000 from a dinner honoring his retirement as President and another $120,000 raised during his inauguration. The total value of the Scholarship fund at his retirement as President in July 2011 was over $2.1 million.
-Boston Business Journal: UMass Prez Wilson chips in for $2.1M scholarship fund in his own name
-Mass Live: UMass President Helps Establish Scholarship
-University of Massachusetts: News Release June 2, 2011.
Boston Globe
Mass High Tech Magazine
Dr. Wilson served as the President (interim) of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate from July 1, 2011 to January 1, 2012. Prior to that he served on the Board of the EMK Institute
He is a former Professor of Physics, Department Chair, Research Center Director, Dean, Vice President, Provost, and a private sector entrepreneur who founded the ILinc Corporation.
He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and has received many awards for his work in technology in education, higher education policy, and technology driven economic development.
Quotes On His Retirement
as President
Governor Deval Patrick, : "It has been an honor working with President Wilson over the last four and a half years. He has been a true partner in our mission to extend Massachusetts' educational leadership and grow our economy, and his record of achievements -- from the Holyoke High Performance Computing Center to increased commitments to financial aid -- leave an impressive legacy. I wish Jack and his family every blessing in the future." "By any measure -- enrollment, endowment, test scores or capital improvements -- Jack Wilson's tenure has moved the University of Massachusetts forward. He has been a terrific partner in our shared commitment to making the public higher education system in Massachusetts a national model for excellence while keeping it affordable and accessible for our students,"
James J. Karam, chairman of the University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees, said the scholarship fund will be "the most appropriate lasting legacy for a scholar, teacher and leader who always placed students and educational opportunity first."
Robert Manning, past-chairman of the UMass board of trustees, praised Wilson for moving the system forward by “doing the right thing, not just what’s popular." “Jack’s greatest accomplishment was his strategic vision of what the whole university system should look like, while preserving each campus’s autonomy,’’ “He has really created a powerful team of people working together and rowing in the same direction.’’ "President Wilson has put his heart and soul into leading the University of Massachusetts and bringing it to new heights. He has been an outstanding leader and will continue to guide the University for the next 16 months,"
Senate President Therese Murray: "Students from yesterday, today and tomorrow will benefit from your efforts."
House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo: "President Wilson has guided the University of Massachusetts system to new heights,"
Paul Reville, Massachusetts Secretary of Education: "President Wilson's leadership, advocacy and hard work have had a tremendously positive impact on the University of Massachusetts and our Commonwealth," "This scholarship named in his honor is a fitting tribute to his long and successful tenure and will ensure that future students continue to benefit from all that he has done to advance this great university."