Even though his eventual career choice was not something he would have considered while a student at Northeast Community College, a university librarian inducted into the Northeast Alumni Hall of Success in September said Northeast prepared him well for his educational journey.
Brad Matthies is the associate dean of Library Services at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. He oversees most the Foley Library’s public-facing departments and general library access, including circulation and interlibrary loan. But at Northeast, he first prepared for a career as a welder and then to work in the criminal justice field.
“I didn’t take high school very seriously,” Matthies admitted, “but I did love shop class and I was pretty good at welding. So, when I graduated, Northeast seemed like the perfect place to go.”
But after a few years in the welding field, Matthies realized this was not a good fit for him, and he returned to Northeast.
“This time I took night classes to gain confidence in the subjects I found challenging, especially Math I,” Matthies said. “I essentially lived in the tutoring center.”
His hard work paid off, and Matthies quit his job and studied full time to earn both an associate degree in criminal justice from Northeast and a bachelor’s degree from Wayne State, gaining a job with the Nebraska Department of Corrections.
“Once again, I came to realize that this job really wasn’t a good fit for me,” Matthies said, “But it turned out to be the most important pivot of my life. The foundational skills I gained at Northeast, the academic preparedness from my psychology class, the writing skills from my literature class, and the confidence I gained from actually passing algebra all helped me transition to a new field entirely.”
Matthies’s lifelong passion for books and reading led him to pursue a master’s degree in library science at Indiana University. He worked as an academic librarian at Butler University and was library director at Casper College before accepting his current position at Gonzaga.
Matthies said his greatest memory of Northeast isn’t a single event. It’s the lasting impact of his instructors.
“I’ll never forget my welding instructor, Merle Mead, and the late-night math instructor who patiently tried to build my confidence. I remember Dr. Patty Gubbels who introduced me to the concept of academic rigor. And then there was Larry Holland, a cowboy English instructor who made literature approachable through his class called ‘The Novel and the Movie.’ ”
Matthies hopes sharing his experience might encourage other students to “embrace the journey and use the incredible support systems that are available to you at Northeast.”
Matthies met his wife, Kathy, a native of Denver, Colorado, when she was attending graduate school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The couple enjoy traveling and are avid supporters of animal welfare organizations, including the ASPCA. Matthies volunteers with the Gonzaga Family Haven, a partnership with Catholic Charities that provides affordable housing and support services for homeless families. He also enjoys fishing, exercising, and long hikes.
Matthies and the other Hall of Success inductees were honored during the annual Northeast Achievement Awards celebration held September 25 in the Lifelong Learning Center on the Norfolk campus.
The Alumni Hall of Success honor is awarded to past graduates and students who have achieved significant success in their professions, exhibited exemplary citizenship qualities, and/or made significant contributions to their communities and/or community affairs. Nominees should have completed a recognized diploma or degree from Northeast (or its predecessor colleges) or completed at least 24 credit hours at Northeast to be applied toward a degree at another college or university. Nominations are due May 31 of each year, and a nomination form can be found at: northeast.edu/giving/achievement-awards.
ID: Matthies
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