Mr. Matthew (Matt) Geis has been appointed as the new Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement at Kent State University. He will begin on November 1, 2026. The appointment marks Mr. Geis’ return to Kent State, where he served on the university’s advancement team from 2001 to 2018. He has since been at Case Western Reserve University, first as an Associate Dean of Development and External Relations in the Weatherhead School of Management. Mr. Geis then advanced through Case Western Reserve’s Division of University Relations and Development into his current role as Executive Senior Associate Vice President of Leadership, Principal Gifts and Presidential Engagement. He is a 2001 Kent State graduate, with a bachelor’s degree in leisure studies. In addition to bringing a deep knowledge of Kent State and Northeast Ohio, Mr. Geis has a record of success as a member of Case Western Reserve’s philanthropy executive team. He led several initiatives for Weatherhead and in the areas of global principal gifts and strategic initiatives, and leadership and principal gifts. He was promoted in 2025 to his current role, in which he oversees the engagement of Case Western Reserve President Eric Kaler and top attainment opportunities and strategies. Read more.