Matt Holt, Dean

Matt Holt serves as Dean of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences and Vice President for Public Service and Agriculture at Clemson University, roles he has held since September 2024.

Under his leadership, CAFLS has launched Boundless Impact, a bold ten-year strategic plan, and grown its competitive research enterprise to record levels. Dr. Holt has championed SC Horizons, a multi-institutional agricultural innovation initiative anchored in advancing precision agroforestry, agribiotech and human health, as well as resilient production systems. He has initiated the Clemson University Center for Invasive Species — a cross-college effort to integrate research, Extension, and regulatory science to address one of the most significant and growing threats to American agriculture and natural resources. He has also significantly expanded the college’s philanthropic mission.

The College, through its instruction, discovery, public service, and Extension missions, serves the people of South Carolina and beyond by strengthening agricultural productivity and profitability, promoting sustainable natural resource management, and supporting the health and vitality of communities across the state.

Before joining Clemson, Dr. Holt served seven years as head of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech, where he also co-chaired the Virginia Tech Advantage initiative — a multi-year effort to make college more affordable for underserved students. He has held faculty positions at the University of Alabama, Purdue University, NC State University, the University of Arizona, and the University of Wisconsin.

Dr. Holt was named a Fellow of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association in 2009 and a Distinguished Agricultural Alumnus by Purdue University in 2024. As a first-generation college student who received Pell Grant aid, he is passionate about extending the land-grant mission to all eligible students regardless of means.

Dr. Holt grew up on a row crop and livestock farm in North Central Indiana. He and his brother continue to own and manage the original 210-acre farmstead. He holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri, Columbia.