President Matt Parlow’s Biography | Chapman University

President Matt Parlow’s Biography | Chapman University
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President Matt Parlow’s Biography
Matt Parlow has served as Chapman University’s 14th president since September 2, 2025,
and holds the Donald Bren Presidential Chair in Law.
Over his 12 years at Chapman, Parlow has played a pivotal role in propelling the institution
toward national prominence as both an administrator and a scholar. As Executive Vice
President, Chief Advancement Officer (EVP/CAO), and Parker S. Kennedy Chair in Law,
he drove transformational growth while leading the historic fundraising initiative
Inspire: The Campaign for Chapman University
. This campaign seeks to raise $500 million by 2028 and grow the university’s endowment
to $2 billion by 2037. Under his leadership, Chapman surpassed $400 million—well ahead
of schedule—providing resources that strengthen academic excellence, support student
success, and deepen community engagement.
An innovative leader with a strong sense of community, Parlow brings an ambitious
vision for Chapman’s future. Under his direction, the university is poised to reach
new academic heights by fostering expansive interdisciplinary collaborations that
push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation, while preparing students for success
in a rapidly evolving workforce.
Deeply committed to the student experience, he will promote robust engagement between
students, faculty, and the broader community, ensuring Chapman continues to provide
the distinctive, hands-on learning opportunities that set the university apart. As
the need for civil discourse grows nationwide, Parlow is also dedicated to making
Chapman a place where challenging conversations are embraced and free expression is
protected. This commitment to free speech, academic excellence, and community is emblematic
of Parlow’s strong belief in the power of education as a force for good.
Before serving as EVP/CAO, Parlow was the Dean and Donald P. Kennedy Chair in Law
at the Dale E. Fowler School of Law. As the school’s second longest-serving dean,
he achieved financial stability, welcomed some of the strongest incoming classes in
its history, and oversaw three consecutive years of record graduate employment. His
leadership elevated the school’s
U.S. News & World Report
ranking by more than 20 spots, while his fundraising established new professorships
and expanded key curricular areas that foster innovation and student achievement.
Parlow’s career in higher education also includes serving as Associate Dean for Academic
Affairs and Professor of Law at Marquette University Law School, where he taught Property,
Land Use, and Professional Sports Law (with Major League Baseball Commissioner Emeritus
Bud Selig). He also taught in Chapman’s Fowler School of Law from 2005 to 2008 and
has twice been recognized as Professor of the Year, at Chapman and at Marquette.
Prior to his academic career, Parlow was an associate with the Los Angeles firm of
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Pamela
Ann Rymer of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Parlow holds
a J.D. from Yale Law School and a B.A., magna cum laude, in History from Loyola Marymount
University.
President Matt Parlow
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