Lionel Matthews, associate professor of sociology in the Department of Behavioral Sciences, is one of the many Andrews University professors who manages to balance a busy teaching schedule with active participation in scholarly research. In 2006, while maintaining a class load, Matthews published Sociology: A Seventh-day Adventist Approach for Teachers and Students for the Andrews University Press. The book is part of a series sponsored by the university's Center for College Faith and the education department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. This is only the latest of Matthews’ works; he has written articles for the National Journal of Sociology, Journal of Caribbean Studies, and Journal of Research in Christian Education, as well as chapter contributions in various books.

Matthews has spent his life entrenched in education, both as a student and teacher. He received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Guyana, a master’s degree in counseling from Indiana State University, and a doctoral degree in sociology from Wayne State University. “I have been a teacher for my entire working life,” Matthews states, having dedicated his career to the profession.

Starting as an elementary and secondary school teacher, Matthews later became a principal and superintendent of education before accepting a position at Andrews in 1996. Since then, he has been working with students, adding that it is “really rewarding to see contributions you made in their lives.”

During the next two or three years, Matthews hopes to become more involved with full-time research, adding more publications to his burgeoning list. Even so, he enjoys the classroom, because it offers opportunities to discuss “issues that would allow for divergent views.”

Bonnie McLean, University Relations student news writer