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Dr. Michael Tidwell Inaugurated as 4th President of The University of Texas at Tyler: Tidwell casts economic and education leadership vision for UT Tyler in his inaugural address

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September 12, 2017

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

TYLER, Texas (Sept. 12, 2017) — Dr. Michael Tidwell was inaugurated as the fourth president of The University of Texas at Tyler at an afternoon ceremony with the formal installation presided over by University of Texas System Regent Kevin Eltife.

"Our vision is simple, The University of Texas at Tyler will be the primary educational and economic driver of East Texas," Tidwell said in his inaugural address. Tidwell identified three areas of focus for UT Tyler to achieve the vision: 1) Building student success, 2) Building strong faculty and 3) Building a more diverse economy.

"Oil has been the foundation of the East Texas economy for decades and the energy industry still plays a leading role," said Tidwell. "But more recent developments in the medical industry and educational industry have helped diversify the region's economic base. Whether educating future engineers, nurses, or new professors, each of these industries has benefited greatly from the new talent educated at The University of Texas at Tyler. Nevertheless, the question remains, are there other areas for the economy to diversify into? The unequivocal answer is yes."

Former UT Tyler presidents Dr. James Stewart, Jr. and Dr. Rod Mabry were in attendance, as was Janie Hamm, wife of former president the late Dr. George Hamm. UT System Chancellor William McRaven also attended and offered comments.

Tidwell has served in the field of higher education for 16 years as an administrator and professor at universities around the nation and abroad. He has been a management and research consultant for business leaders seeking to resolve critical human resource issues since 2003. During his career, Tidwell has been published in various scholarly journals and has been a speaker at numerous national and international conferences.

His recent research efforts have focused on managing business relationships across international boundaries. Tidwell and his wife, Karen, have two children, Cyrus and Bradley.

One of the 14 campuses of the UT System, The University of Texas at Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at The University of Texas at Tyler, which has an enrollment of almost 10,000 high-ability students. The University of Texas at Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.