David M. Szymanski, Ph.D., Selected as Dean of the Hankamer School of Business

Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-709-5959
Follow us: @BaylorUMedia on X and LinkedIn

Following a nationwide search, Baylor University Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., announced today that David M. Szymanski, Ph.D., has been selected as Dean of Baylor’s nationally ranked Hankamer School of Business, effective May 27. As The William E. Crenshaw Endowed Dean, Szymanski will succeed Sandeep Mazumder, Ph.D., who is set to become president of Berry College in Georgia on July 1.

A transformational higher education leader, Szymanski previously served as president of the University of North Florida, dean of the University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business and on the faculty at the Mays Business School at Texas A&M University.

“I am excited to welcome David Szymanski to Baylor,” Brickhouse said. “He brings incredible leadership experience and expertise that will enable us to reach new heights as a Christian research university. He is eager to get to work on elevating undergraduate teaching, enhancing corporate relationships, building graduate programs and raising the academic reputation of Hankamer School of Business – and I am eager to both support and partner with him on these efforts.”

Brickhouse also expressed her gratitude to Mazumder for his leadership of the Hankamer School of Business over the past four years.

“His embodiment of our Christian mission and his commitment to academic excellence have had an important impact at Baylor,” she said. “We will miss him but wish him nothing but the best as he takes the helm as president of Berry College.”

Established in 1923, Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business is widely recognized for its caring faculty, the integration of Christian values and high academic standards and emphasis on high-quality research and scholarship. The School’s top-ranked and AACSB-accredited programs combine rigorous classroom learning, hands-on experience in the real world, a solid foundation in ethical values and a global outlook.

As dean, Szymanski will bring strategic leadership to Hankamer, nurturing and strengthening the School’s Christ-centered culture and excellent teaching while also continuing to elevate Baylor’s research aims and global reach toward a technologically transformed future.

“I am truly blessed and honored to accept the role of Dean at the Hankamer School of Business,” Szymanski said. “This opportunity to enhance the already impressive national and international reputation of our outstanding students, faculty and staff is one that I hold dear, especially because of the school’s Christian-centered mission, which is the foundation of all our efforts. I am eager to share this mission by fostering corporate sponsorships, enhancing experiential learning, promoting faculty research and introducing innovative academic offerings, all of which represent bold pathways toward sustained excellence and meaningful achievements.

"I look forward to working closely with our alumni, institutional leaders and community partners as we uphold our spiritual commitment to shine the light on all our endeavors in Christ’s name, making the Hankamer School of Business the premier destination for exceptional students, faculty and business partners," Szymanski said.

A first-generation college graduate, Szymanski earned his B.A. in economics with honors at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, where he was a full scholarship student-athlete in basketball and tennis. He went on to earn an M.A. in economics from Vanderbilt University and his M.B.A. and Ph.D. in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He began his academic career in 1987 at Texas A&M as a faculty member in the Mays Business School, where he held the Alton Withers Professorship and the JC Penney Chair of Retailing Studies and served as director of A&M’s Center for Retailing Studies.

In 2010, Szymanski accepted the position of dean of the Lindner College of Business at the University of Cincinnati, where he transformed the College into a nationally acclaimed, top-ranked institution with 5,200 students across bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs. Under his leadership, UC’s previously unranked part-time and full-time MBA programs were elevated into Top 25 and Top 35 public university programs (Bloomberg Businessweek and U.S. News & World Report). With the mantra of being student-centered, achieving academic excellence through innovation, ensuring students’ career readiness and creating a culture where student belonging was strongly embraced, the Lindner College of Business became a destination college for top high school students. His tenure also saw record fundraising for the College, leading to the construction of a new Lindner College of Business building, which was completed in 2019.

After serving eight years as Dean, Szymanski was selected as president of the University of North Florida, with an appointment as professor of marketing at UNF’s Coggin College of Business. He led UNF through a new student-centered strategic plan that focused on improved access, affordability, retention and graduation rates while also addressing workforce needs in northeast Florida. Under Szymanski's leadership, UNF became results-driven and swiftly achieved excellence in teaching and research with a strong emphasis on student success. During his presidency, UNF achieved recognition as the most improved university in the Florida State University System (FSUS) and later attained "best ever" performance status on nearly every FSUS enrollment, retention, graduation and job placement metric, set new fundraising records and entered national rankings. 

In 2020, he founded UNF Medical Nexus (MedNexus), the nation’s first comprehensive, public university-based medical hub that brought together university, business and state resources to collaboratively address critical healthcare issues. In 2021, he transitioned from president to MedNexus CEO through 2023. He remained on the UNF business faculty until 2024.

Provost Brickhouse also thanked the search committee, who provided their time, insight and service to Baylor during this process: Dean Jason Carter (chair), Dr. Mary Alexander, Jason Diffenderfer, Dr. Rebecca Files, Whitney Holmes, Michele Jones, Laura Lalani, Shaun Limbers, Dr. Antonio Macias, Dr. Ashley Otto, Dr. Matt Quade, Dr. John Ssozi, Dr. James Stamey and Dr. Yulia Sullivan.

ABOUT THE HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business strives to further God’s kingdom through the realm of business, using God-given gifts and academic talents to do so. Faculty and students conduct purposeful research and participate in experiential learning opportunities, all while operating in a Christ-centered mission. Undergraduate students can choose from 13 major areas of study. Graduate students can earn their MBA on their terms, either through the full-time, online or a Dallas-based executive program. The Business School also offers three Ph.D. programs in Information Systems, Entrepreneurship or Health Services Research. The School’s top-ranked programs make up approximately 25% of the University’s total enrollment. Visit the Hankamer School of Business website for more information. 

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.