»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.