Chapman University's 14th President

As a baseball fan and expert in sports law, Matt Parlow sees more than just nine players on a field and 25 players in the dugout when he watches a game.  He draws parallels between the teamwork that happens on that magical diamond with his role as a leader and in life.

“It’s the entire team, the trainers, the managers, the coaches, the front office staff—all those who help to create the environment for that team to be successful on the playing field,” he says.

This philosophy has shaped his success as an attorney, law professor and college administrator—and now guides him as the 14th president of Chapman University, a role he assumed on September 2.

“To be president and help lead this community forward is the honor of a lifetime,” says Parlow.  “When I come to work every day, I feel at home.  My soul comes alive when I’m here and when I interact with my colleagues.”

A native of Los Angeles and the son of two elementary school teachers, Parlow found himself drawn to a career in law because he saw it as a way to make change, protect rights and pursue justice.  He earned his undergraduate degree in history from Loyola Marymount University and a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School.  During his law school years, he served as a legal intern in the White House’s Office of the Legal Counsel.

It was Yale University Professor Bill Eskridge Jr. who encouraged him to turn his passion for law into a teaching career.  After practicing law with prominent Los Angeles firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips from 2000 to 2003, he transitioned to a career in higher education.  There, Parlow found a new calling.

“The thing that has brought me the most professional fulfillment in my life is trying to make an impact in the lives of students,” says Parlow, who taught at Whittier Law School in 2004 before coming to Chapman in 2005.

In 2008, Parlow moved across the country to Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, where he eventually became the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law.   He helped improve the school’s skills-based course selection and employment ranking, and taught property, land use and sports law. One of his sports law courses he co-taught with Major League Baseball Commissioner Emeritus Bud Selig.

After eight years, Parlow returned with his family to California to teach at Chapman’s Fowler School of Law.  He became dean in 2016.

“In the law school, we recruited our strongest ever classes, improved our student outcomes, and boosted our national ranking by more than 20 spots,” Parlow says.

And just five years later, another opportunity arose when Chapman’s executive vice president, chief advancement officer position opened.

Former President Daniele Struppa asked Parlow to fill that role.  Parlow also served as Parker S. Kennedy Chair in Law at Chapman.

His experience in leadership and fundraising in his previous roles contributed to his success.

Parlow helped elevate Chapman into becoming one of the nation’s elite academic universities.  He took on Chapman’s ambitious fundraising campaign “Inspire: The Campaign for Chapman University,” which aims to raise $500 million by 2028 to support student success, enhance academic programs and improve facilities.

Chapman had already raised more than $406 million by August.

Struppa, who announced his retirement in May 2024, considers Parlow the right choice to lead the university.

“Matt is a fantastic fundraiser, a person of great integrity, and a passionate believer in the mission of education,” Struppa says.  “Those qualities will ensure he will not only grow the financial strength of the institution, but he will do so in ways consistent with Chapman’s ethos, and with our mission.”

Parlow hopes to build on Struppa’s legacy, expanding Chapman’s growth as a research institution and giving ample opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students to get into labs.  The learning experience will continue to grow for students, positioning them for successful careers or continuation into graduate education.

Chapman’s new president wants to be a bridge builder and convener when it comes to his relationships with business, civic and community leaders in advancing Chapman’s mission.

“Part of my leadership style is breaking down silos and encouraging collaboration, looking for interdisciplinary opportunities,” he says.

One of the most important lessons Parlow says he has learned during his career is how to keep things in perspective.  He battled cancer while working as a clerk with Judge Pamela Ann Rymer with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 20 years ago.  Rymer herself eventually succumbed to the disease in 2011, but he remembers how kind and empathetic she was during his battle.

“Just keeping things in perspective has really helped me as I have been preparing to take on this role.  In life, there are crises and then there are true crises.  When you face the prospect of your own mortality, it helps you keep other things that are stressful or chaotic in perspective,” he says.

The demographic cliff and the use of artificial intelligence are issues Parlow says he is prepared to address at Chapman.  And he plans to work daily to ensure Chapman is viewed as a model university for welcoming students from all different backgrounds.

“I hope to continue Chapman’s long legacy of providing distinctive personalized education.  President Emeritus Jim Doti and President Daniele Struppa did an incredible job elevating the university during their presidencies.  We have a tremendous opportunity to carry that momentum forward.”

Select to view an archival Mar/Apr 2023 "Building Character at Chapman University" with Matt Parlow article.
Select to view an archival Sep/Oct 2019 "Building Character at Chapman University" with Matt Parlow article.