A familiar face in the College of Health Professions and Sciences, Matthew Theriot is taking the helm as interim dean.
“It’s a privilege to serve as the interim dean, and I’m filled with gratitude, humility and excitement about the opportunity,” Theriot says. “I’m honored to be leading the college during this exciting time of change and transition.”
An accomplished leader, Theriot has served for the last three years as director of the School of Social Work, where he worked to grow the Center for Behavioral Health Research and Training, which promotes interdisciplinary research, and established a new Center for Professional and Community Education that strives to enrich the knowledge and skills of social workers, allied health professionals, students, alumni, and the public. This year’s U.S. News & World Report rankings saw the Master of Social Work program jump to an all-time high of No. 67, placing it in the top 25% of programs nationally for the first time.
In the months ahead, Theriot is making it a priority to connect with faculty and staff and plans to hold a series of listening sessions and open forums. He’ll also focus on finalizing the college’s new strategic plan and developing an associated resource roadmap.
We asked our new interim dean to share some insight about his background, his early influences, and what you’ll find him doing when he’s not on campus.
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Tell us about your leadership philosophy. What do you value?
“I am outspoken about my core values like authenticity, service, and transparency. I have mentioned them before and will undoubtedly repeat them again and again. They are my north star whenever I’m not sure how to handle a situation. As for my leadership philosophy, it is always evolving, mostly because I am always trying to grow and learn. I don’t think I have ever had a day when I couldn’t find at least a few things that I will do better next time.
People always come before projects and outcomes. Family is always more important than work. Being your supervisor doesn’t make me your boss. I don’t know if those are philosophies or values or beliefs. They’re just important statements that define how I approach leadership.”.
What do you find most impactful about serving in higher education?
“High school was rough, but I really blossomed in college. I had such a wonderful, positive experience that I guess I decided to never leave. As a new professor, I was motivated to help create that same amazing experience for others. Initially it was just the students in my classes then, as I moved into different administrative roles, my sphere of influence expanded. I still have the same motivation, but now I am going to work on behalf of all students, staff, and faculty in CHPS to foster the most rewarding college experience possible.”
What inspired you to enter social work early in your career?
“I had experiences as a young teenager that sparked my interest in mental health. My original goal was to be a counselor with a private practice, so I chose social work only because it was the fastest way to earn a clinical license. Almost immediately after starting as a BSW student, my eyes were opened to the breadth of opportunities in social work. I quickly moved away from opening a private practice and never looked back.”
What was your first paying job and what did you learn from it?
“I mowed lawns around my neighborhood, but my first “real” job in high school was as a stockboy at Petsmart. I’m not sure what I learned from it, except maybe that I didn’t want to have that job forever. When you’re called by name on the store’s intercom to clean up dog messes from the floor, it’s a humbling experience. But I got to drive a forklift, so that was fun.”
What are your hobbies and interests?
“Music is a huge part of my life and family. My kids are all musical, especially my son and youngest daughter. He’s a percussionist and she plays electric bass and double bass. One of my absolute greatest joys is listening to them play and watching them perform. They perform in their school marching and concert bands and have even played the occasional “gig” in our area with their friends. But even beyond this, music is always happening. We attend concerts, share, dissect, and debate music, and I often have music playing in my office.”
What’s a fun fact that people may not know about you?
“This is a great question. I’ll offer two fun facts. In addition to the humans in our house, we also have a dog, four box turtles, and a cockatiel. It’s quite the zoo, and the bird can occasionally make it quite noisy too. The other fun fact is that I am an experienced guitar tech. It started a few years ago as a way to bond with my youngest daughter. I took a class on basic guitar care and maintenance then things exploded from there. I kept learning, practicing, and experimenting. Now, I take care of her guitars and a few of my own. (I am a very average player, though I do enjoy it.) I have assembled, wired and rewired, upgraded, and repaired many guitars through the past few years. My kids’ friends have “hired” me to repair or upgrade their guitars (but I always do it free of charge), and I have even cleaned and repaired the guitars from our local high school and middle school when asked. I don’t know if that’s a fun fact, but it’s something I like doing (and definitely not something people expect when they meet me).”
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Prior to joining UCF in 2021, Theriot spent several years in executive leadership roles at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, serving as vice provost for faculty affairs and associate provost for teaching and learning innovation. He also worked for three years as Director of UT ASCEND (Adaptations for a Sustainable Climate of Excellence and Diversity), a National Science Foundation-funded program designed to promote the recruitment and retention of female faculty in STEM disciplines.
He currently serves on the board of the Council on Social Work Education and chairs the Commission on Membership and Professional Development. Before his career in higher education, he worked as a school social worker, child welfare worker and crisis counselor.
Theriot is married to his wife, Emily, and has three children.
His appointment to interim dean is effective July 15.
