Acclaimed Scholar-Administrator Joins California Lutheran University as College of Arts and Sciences Dean

Matthew Gordley, PhD, is an accomplished scholar-administrator with decades of success at faith-based, private, mission-driven universities. His background and experience will be an asset to California Lutheran University in his new role as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. As the university’s largest college, it’s an academic hub that provides the intellectual foundation of an undergraduate liberal arts education.

“Matthew impressed the search committee with his energy, positive spirit, and creativity. They appreciated his student-centered focus, as well as the breadth and depth of his administrative experience,” said Leanne Neilson, Psy.D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

As dean, Gordley provides executive leadership for the day-to-day operations of the college and oversees regular program assessment. He is responsible for strategic planning and faculty and staff recruitment and development. Gordley also serves as a public advocate for the college and actively supports universitywide initiatives that strengthen teaching and scholarship. At the student level, he will identify opportunities that align with their academic priorities through partnerships, philanthropy and pathways.

Most recently, Gordley was the interim provost and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, where he supported faculty, staff and students through a highly collaborative leadership style that led to enrollment growth, innovative partnerships and experiential student learning opportunities. He also served as the associate dean of academics in the School of Divinity at Regent University.

An active scholar of Christianity and Judaism in antiquity, he has published four books and numerous scholarly articles. He is currently co-editing “Innovating Higher Education at a Small University: Navigating Shifting Paradigms with Humanity and Heart” (Rutgers University Press, 2026). Earlier this year, he was an invited lecturer in the Darwin College Lecture Series at Cambridge University.

Gordley received his doctorate in theology from the University of Notre Dame, his Master of Divinity degree from Alliance Theological Seminary and his bachelor’s in mathematics and intercultural Christian education from Wheaton College. “My experience in higher education has reinforced my view that there are a few essentials a university must have to thrive,” Gordley said. “Cal Lutheran is fortunate to have them all in abundance: a compelling mission, shared core values and amazing people. This creates a distinctive learning environment and opens up exciting possibilities for the future.”