Alum Supports CLA with $25,000 Matching Gift to Dean’s Excellence Fund During Poly Gives 2026
Matt Edling (Political Science, ‘02) and his wife Abby Edling (Business Administration, ’02) are making an impact during this year’s Poly Gives, April 9-11, 2026. The San Francisco attorney is providing a $25,000 matching gift to the College of Liberal Arts’ (CLA) Dean’s Excellence Fund in hopes that other alumni will also support their alma mater during the weekend of giving.
“I believe that a liberal arts education, at its core, teaches you how to think critically and approach problems at both a societal and personal level,” Edling said. “I suspect more people who go into policy, politics and law come through liberal arts than any other discipline.”
The matching gift will go towards the Dean's Excellence Fund which supports vital programs, including student-faculty research collaborations, immersive hands-on learning experiences, high-impact peer mentoring and creative scholarly work. The fund’s flexibility in addressing the college’s ongoing needs while expanding student opportunities is what drew Edling to support it.
“The Dean's Excellence Fund gives the CLA flexibility to provide more equitable access to Learn by Doing experiences such as internships, study abroad programs, research opportunities and summer undergraduate research,” Edling said. “Things that, if you don't come from means, may be unavailable but can be life changing."
Edling is a partner at Sher Edling LLP in San Francisco, where he specializes in environmental law. His path to becoming a lawyer began with a chance meeting with a successful Cal Poly alum named Joe Cotchett (Environmental Engineering, '60), who was both a prominent attorney and the commencement speaker at his graduation ceremony. After graduation, Edling went to work at the alumnus’ law firm, an experience that ultimately led him to law school. He also credits his love of learning and intellectual curiosity to some of his Cal Poly professors who made a lasting impression.
“When you have teachers who are dedicated to teaching, you get the attention of someone who has invested their life's work in a particular subject, and you get to learn from them,” Edling said. “You get to be a part of their passion, and, if you're lucky, you get to find your own."
Edling continues to stay involved with his alma mater, including joining the CLA Dean’s Advisory Council last year. He said he is happy to give back to Cal Poly because he believes in the education Cal Poly provides and its value compared to other institutions, especially given the rising cost of higher education.
“I don't believe you can get a better education for your dollar than at Cal Poly," Edling said. “I view this school as an extraordinarily important part of giving students a pathway to a higher education and bettering their lives, more so than any other school in California.”
With this gift, he hopes to motivate other CLA alumni to reflect on their time as Mustangs and consider how it shaped their lives and careers.
“If you have the opportunity to reflect on what this school provided you, and you have the means — a lot or a little — to provide those opportunities for others, I think it's good to pay it forward,” Edling said. “It was an extraordinary place for me, both academically and personally.”
Poly Gives 2026 raised over $835,000 from 1120 donors, thanks in part to generous matching gifts like this one. Thanks to everyone who helped support Poly Gives this year!
