Mount St. Mary’s Taps John Nauright as Business School Dean
Following a national search, Mount St. Mary’s University (MSM) has named John Nauright, Ph.D. (pictured right), as dean of the Richard J. Bolte, Sr. School of Business, effective June 14, 2021. He brings to the Mount deep experience in developing and leading innovative business programs both in the United States and internationally.
Nauright currently serves as dean of the Stephen Poorman College of Business, Information Systems and Human Services and director of the Clearfield Campus at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania. He directs programs in business management and marketing; finance, insurance, and risk management; accounting; computer science; recreation and tourism management; cultural heritage management; sport management; sport psychology; clinical mental health counseling; criminal justice; and social work as well as offering an integrative studies program and minors in entrepreneurship and environmental studies.
At Lock Haven, he created multiple external partnerships, including with Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club of the Premier League in England; Preservation Pennsylvania; and Higher Digital, LLC.
“We are excited to have John join our Mount community and to see the business school grow and form more partnerships with area, national, and international business that foster student success,” said Mount St. Mary’s University President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D. “John’s wealth of experience in both traditional and adult education and years of leadership on multi-campus universities will be invaluable to the Mount as we continue to expand our offerings both in Emmitsburg and Frederick.”
Nauright looks forward to shaping the Bolte School into a national and international leader in business education and the role of business in social and economic transformation. “I am thrilled to join the team at the Mount as we continue to develop incredible opportunities for both traditional on-campus students and adult and continuing education students,” Nauright said. “The vision, ethical values, and approach to educating the whole person at the Mount is crucial to individual success and to the futures of our society and the world.”
Nauright comes to the Mount as the Knott Academic Center expansion and renovation moves into higher gear. The project, funded by a state grant and generous donations from the Bolte Family Foundation and Raphael Della Ratta, C’92, includes construction of an approximately 15,000 square foot addition and renovation of the 49,074 square foot existing building. The upgrade includes enhancing the learning environment and building new classrooms, a Bloomberg Classroom Laboratory, and faculty offices. The university also now offers its MBA program both in person and fully online.
The former vice president of the Dallas Griffins, now Dallas Jackals, of Major League Rugby, Nauright has lived and worked in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Barbados, Denmark, and Scotland. In addition to being a visiting professor at leading universities in Barbados, China, Ghana, India, and Russia, he is the author or editor of 27 books and has written over 150 refereed articles and chapters in the areas of sport, event, and tourism management. He has made numerous media appearances around the world.
After receiving both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history at the University of South Carolina, Nauright earned his Ph.D. in African history, comparative history, and political economy at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Led by Executive Vice President Kraig Sheetz, Ph.D., the search committee was assisted by RH Perry & Associates, based in Asheville, North Carolina.
