Nidhi Vogt, Esq.

When it comes to turning goals into reality, Nidhi Vogt knows it starts with bringing people together and building meaningful connections.  As Chapman University’s Vice President and Deputy Chief of Staff, she focuses on engagement both within and beyond the university.  This role reflects her long-standing strength and passion for fostering connections and building community.

For Vogt, who joined Chapman in 2019 at the Chapman Fowler School of Law as Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, building connections is something she has been doing since she was young.  In high school, she was involved in a variety of activities that fostered connection, including leadership in student government and the National Honors Society and a pre-professional dance company.  She also started the women’s lacrosse team.

“I always enjoy getting to know people and learning their stories,” says Vogt. “When I travel and get on an airplane, I always hope the person next to me is open to sharing their experience. I love hearing people’s stories and finding common ground.”

This passion for connection has allowed Vogt to work collaboratively throughout her career to achieve common goals.  In her current role, she collaborates closely with university leaders across campuses to advance institutional priorities and initiatives, while also focusing on external engagement, supporting board relations, and cultivating strategic partnerships with community stakeholders to identify ways to support the university and its students.

East Coast Beginnings

Born in the small town of Mystic, Connecticut, Vogt is a first-generation American whose parents emigrated from India in the 1970s.  “My father came to this country in 1975 to provide better opportunities for himself and his family,” she says.  “He arrived with $5 in his pocket, and, while living with friends and family and working at McDonald’s and as a nighttime security guard, put himself through graduate school, earning a master’s in organic chemistry.  He and my mother, who came here in 1979, went on to spend their careers at Pfizer.”

Her parents ensured she and her sister had every opportunity to excel.  “They instilled in us the importance of hard work, education and being well-rounded,” she says.  “They exposed us to a wide variety of activities, including sports, dance and music.”

When it was time for college in the early 2000s, Vogt chose Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where she earned an undergraduate degree in political science and Spanish. While there, she studied abroad in Cuba and at the London School of Economics, while continuing to hone her leadership skills by mentoring students and serving as a head resident advisor.

After graduating, Vogt returned to her home state to attend the University of Connecticut School of Law.  During her first year, she met her future husband, Matt Vogt.  Although she had initially planned to practice law in New York or Boston, her path shifted when Matt, a Southern California native, decided to return home to take the bar exam.  Vogt followed, also taking the bar exam and beginning the next chapter of her life in California.

Relocating to California

While Vogt is a licensed attorney in California and practiced trusts and estates for a short time, Vogt found she was more drawn to academia and the relationship-building it offered.  She accepted a position at Whittier Law School, where she served as Assistant Dean of Student and Alumni Relations. Over nearly eight years there, she took on a variety of leadership roles.

In 2016, she joined Purdue Global Law School alongside a mentor when he became Dean, working closely with him as his primary strategic partner.  Much of that role was remote and she missed the in-person experience.  So, when the opportunity arose in 2019 to join the Fowler School of Law, she was eager to make the move.  “Six months after I started, the pandemic hit and we went online,” she says.  “But I had just spent three years working in a remote setting, so I was ready for it.”

Vogt drew on what she had learned at Purdue Global about building virtual connections to help strengthen Chapman’s online community at the law school. “We focused on creating personalized experiences during Covid.  As a result, we received national recognition for our programming, including being named one of the 25 Most Innovative Law Schools by National Jurist,” she says.  “The best thing about that time is that even though we couldn’t see each other in person, we were still able to build community, and I am proud that I got to know every student.”

Then in 2022 she became the University’s Associate Vice President for Engagement and Volunteerism.  “Someone was needed to reshape, redefine and strengthen engagement with alumni, parents and volunteers,” says Vogt.  Under her leadership, her teams built strong collaborations that led to increased engagement, philanthropic support and volunteerism.

Leadership and Impact

Given all that Vogt has done to strengthen engagement across the university, it felt like a natural progression for her to step into her current role as Vice President and Deputy Chief of Staff as new leadership took shape last September.

Chapman University President Matt Parlow first met Vogt when she was a finalist for the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs position at the Fowler School of Law.  “I was impressed with her intelligence, thoughtfulness, and the way she engages with others,” he says.  “I knew she would excel in the position, and she exceeded all expectations.  Nidhi is incredibly smart and analytical, and at the same time has a high EQ and a warm, supportive way of connecting with everyone she meets.”

Parlow also notes that Vogt has been a tremendous addition to the executive team.  “She oversees several areas at the university, and each has excelled,” he says.  “For example, our Office of Career and Professional Development reports to her, and we had a record number of employers come to campus for our spring interview event.  Amy Rogan-Mehta and I have also asked Nidhi to lead key strategic initiatives, where she has made remarkable progress.  She works closely with our board members and community partners, who all think highly of her.  Nidhi is also a trusted advisor, and we rely on her judgment as we plan for the future and move forward on important initiatives.”

Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff Amy Rogan-Mehta echoes that sentiment.  “Nidhi holds a unique, multifaceted role, leading key areas and initiatives, while strengthening relationships with community partners, supporters and alumni.  Her warmth and talent for relationship-building set her apart, and she brings a rare blend of strengths.  She is deeply relational and a bridge-builder, while also highly analytical, strategic and outcome-driven.  That makes her a natural leader who embodies the Chapman Family ethos of community and care, showing how excellence and empathy can go hand in hand.”

Chapman alum and board member Jimmy Blalock shares a similar perspective.  “Everyone who works with Nidhi walks away feeling heard and seen, which is an admirable quality at her level.  From the start, you notice what I’d call a ‘peaceful intelligence’— a calm, collected presence paired with sharp insight.”

For Vogt, whose career has been shaped by a passion for connecting people, Chapman offers the ideal blend of authenticity and sense of place.  “I have formed so many wonderful relationships here,” she says.  “Chapman provides students with a connected, personalized education within an engaged community, where they can explore who they want to be while benefiting from strong mentorship and academics.  I’m confident and excited about President Parlow’s vision and look forward to continuing to be part of the university’s upward trajectory.”