Dr. Matt Skillen, assistant provost and dean of faculty
McPherson College announces Dr. Matt Skillen will join the college as assistant provost and dean of faculty. In this position, Dr. Skillen will work closely with the provost and others on campus to align academic priorities with the college’s strategic plan, Community by Design 2.0.
“It is an honor to be named the assistant provost and dean of faculty at McPherson College,” Dr. Skillen said. “My family and I are excited to join the McPherson community, and I look forward to working alongside my new colleagues.”
Dr. Skillen has served in various roles at Elizabethtown College for the last 14 years. In his current role as the R.W. Schlosser Professor of English and the Dean of Faculty and Associate Provost for Student Learning, he has championed faculty development and continuous professional growth. He has also supported programs that advance student learning, like the first-year experience, second-year program, the Core general education program, and Momentum – Etown’s bridge experience for first-generation college students. He has dedicated himself to truly transformational educational experiences and improving conditions for teaching, learning, and ongoing professional growth throughout his career.
“Dr. Skillen brings to this role an enthusiasm for teaching and learning,” said Amanda Gutierrez, provost and executive vice president. “His creative and relational style will be a great asset to our campus community. I am excited to work with him and to welcome his family to McPherson.”
Previously at Elizabethtown College, Dr. Skillen served as a professor in the English department, director of the English education program, department chair for the English and communications departments, and director of the Etown College Teaching and Learning Design Studio. Before his employment at Etown, he served as a classroom teacher for Maize USD 266 in Maize, Kan., and as a graduate teaching assistant at Kansas State University.
He is married to Rebekah Skillen, a registered nurse and certified childbirth educator. They have two children.