Shu Schiller, Ph.D.

Dr. Shu Schiller serves as Dean of the Ed G. Smith College of Business at the University of Missouri–St. Louis (UMSL). She champions UMSL’s mission to transform lives through excellent education. UMSL is the only public research institution and the top producer of talent in St. Louis. Dean Schiller collaborates with a wide range of community partners to advance knowledge and workforce development. She is committed to helping every business student achieve professional success upon graduation. Shortly after starting her position in 2024, Dean Schiller launched the RISE Academy to connect students with leaders in the business community to develop job-ready competencies through skills-based training.

Dean Schiller is active and highly visible in the St. Louis business community. She was recognized on the St. Louis Business 500 lists for 2025 and 2026 as one of the metro area’s most influential, impactful, and innovative leaders. Dean Schiller is proud to be part of the 50th Cohort of the FOCUS Leadership St. Louis Program, a year-long, immersive program that actively grows and improves opportunities to make our region stronger.

Beyond our region, Dean Schiller’s interests have centered on promoting St. Louis and elevating it on the world stage. She serves on the St. Louis-Nanjing Sister City Committee, connecting the two cities through education and cultural engagements to promote awareness and values of the long-time partnership. The St. Louis-Nanjing relationship was established in 1979 and was the first sister-city relationship between the United States and China. Dean Schiller’s effort to champion for St. Louis extends to other parts of the world. In April 2026, Dean Schiller is proud to participate in the maiden direct flight between St. Louis and London by British Airways, alongside government officials and prominent leaders, to further global connections with our region.

Once an international student herself, Dean Schiller is passionate about providing every student with global experiences that will lead to future success. Under her leadership, the Ed G. Smith College of Business has broadened its partnerships with business schools in Asia, Europe, and South America, strengthened its study abroad programs, and established new initiatives to provide global experiences through innovative educational programs.

The Ed G. Smith College of Business was named in June 2025 and is the first named college at UMSL. It is among the top 2% business schools in the world, holding dual AACSB accreditations in both business and accounting. Dean Schiller serves as the Vice-Chair of the AACSB North America Advisory Council, which comprises regional experts who offer strategic advice and help align AACSB’s mission with educational needs in North America.

Dean Schiller has 20 years of experience in higher education, including serving as the interim Founding Dean of the College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies at Wright State University, as an Association Dean, Department Chair, and other academic leadership roles in business education. A scholar at heart, Dr. Schiller devotes her research to advancing communication and collaboration in the highly networked world. She worked extensively in data analytics and strongly advocates for data-driven leadership. Dr. Schiller was a TEDx speaker in 2013, delivering a talk on compelling storytelling with data.

Dean Schiller is a professor of information systems and holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration, Management Information Systems from the Fox School of Business at Temple University in 2007. She received the Outstanding Alumni Award from her alma mater in 2024.