MSOE Announces New President

John Y. Walz announces Next Bold Step campaign in March 2025. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

A big change is coming to the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE).

President John Y. Walz is accelerating his retirement and an internal candidate, Eric Baumgartner, is being promoted to replace him.

The change comes as the downtown university is gearing up to start construction on a $76 million expansion of its primary engineering education building and execute a $125 million capital campaign.

“About a year ago, I shared with the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents my intention to retire in 2027,” wrote Walz, who is 64, in an email to alumni issued Tuesday. “It felt like the right moment to begin thinking about the future, both for me personally and for MSOE. However, as time has passed, it’s become increasingly clear that MSOE is entering a truly pivotal chapter, particularly as we move forward with our most ambitious comprehensive campaign to date.”

Walz announced he is accelerating his retirement to January 2026, when he will take on the “president emeritus title.”

“In this new capacity, I will continue supporting the university by focusing on fundraising and outreach, especially as we advance our campaign and long-term goals. I’ll be working closely with Jeff Snow, our Vice President of University Advancement, to help ensure that MSOE continues to thrive,” wrote Walz.

Baumgartner, 59, the current executive vice president of academics, is to become the university’s next president.

“I’ve had the honor of working closely with Eric over the years and have complete confidence in his leadership, integrity, and vision for MSOE’s future,” wrote Walz. “His deep commitment to academic excellence and student success will serve the university well in the years ahead.”

Baumgartner has served as a vice president of academics at MSOE since 2017. He holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Notre Dame and previously was a dean and professor at Ohio Northern University and a senior engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Walz has led MSOE since July 2016. He holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and was previously a professor at Tulane University, a professor and department chair at Yale University, a professor and department head at Virginia Tech and the dean of the college of engineering at the University of Kentucky.

“MSOE has a deep history of impactful leadership,” said Board of Regents chair and Kern Family Foundation President James Rahn in a statement. “This transition ensures a solid foundation for the next era of academic excellence and institutional growth. John Walz and Eric Baumgartner have forged a strong working relationship and share deep character, humility and love for MSOE.”

MSOE reports having 2,956 students, including 2,705 undergraduate students. The private university is best known for awarding degrees in multiple engineering fields, but also operates business and nursing schools.

Walz’s tenure, by MSOE standards, was short. The university was founded in 1903 and he was only the fifth president. His predecessor, Hermann Viets, served for 24 years. Founder Oscar Werwath served for 45 years.

Eric Baumgartner. Photo from MSOE.