Dr. Matthew Whelan

Dr. Matthew Whelan enjoyed a distinctive career spanning 40 years in higher education where he excelled in senior leadership roles from small liberal arts schools to a Research 1 institution. A recognized expert in admissions and enrollment, Dr. Whelan was the architect of record-setting enrollments and revenues at several institutions. A seasoned professional, he brings both broad and deep experience in enrollment planning, strategic initiatives, multi-campus challenges, and C-suite leadership. At Stony Brook, he oversaw multiple campus locations and served as a key team member leading the inauguration of the first American university established in South Korea.

Dr. Whelan assumed the presidency at Caldwell University in New Jersey in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, where he successfully steered the institution through the pandemic. Most recently, Dr. Whelan served as Executive Vice President at St. Thomas University in Miami, where he led all campus operations, guided the vice-presidential team in executing the strategic plan, and served as Officer in Charge during the President's off-campus travel.

As a former Pell recipient, and beneficiary of higher education, he wants to use his knowledge of the challenges in today’s environment to assist presidents, vice-presidents, and teams in planning for and achieving success. His leadership and coaching philosophy promoting individual growth for team success was distilled from the six presidents he served under and is based on their best practices.