Matthew Cowley

Story By: Mia Brabham

By day, he’s leading over 52,00 undergraduate and graduate students at University of Florida to their purpose. By night, he’s speaking directly into the microphone to his audience of over 1,500 listeners ― and growing. In two different and dynamic universes ― podcasting and education ― Matthew Paul Cowley is keenly and passionately paving the way for necessary conversations and equitable outcomes for young people.

After earning both his Bachelor’s Degree and Master of Education from Auburn University, the critical educator and self-proclaimed student affairs nerd began working in the career center at the University of Florida, where he is now the Associate Director for Integrated Partnerships, and is also pursuing his Ph.D. in the Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education.

“Over the years I’ve worked to blend my academic work (in the areas of critical race theory, critical university studies and teaching and learning in higher education), with my job in career services.”

Cowley did not always know he wanted to work in higher education; he originally wanted to be a scientist or a doctor.

“I was obsessed with Steve Urkel; I thought I’d have inventions and do experiments,” he said.

When he got involved on campus during his undergraduate education, he found his true passion for connecting people to their purpose.

“That passion for analyzing data never went away; it came back in a new form.”

Now, he truly is a social scientist.

“Being critical is not a negative attribute. It means that I am attentive to the role that power and privilege play in career development and trajectory. By being critical and not remaining silent, we can work together to end cycles of oppression that keep our students from reaching their full potential.”

Matthew emphasized that our country is set up in ways that certain students aren’t readied to succeed. “Students of color, particularly Black students, are taking out loans at a higher rate than White students. If both a Black student and White student are making $55,000 a year and the Black student has loans, they aren’t really making as much as the White student.”

He also spoke to intersectionality in race: how a Black man may make a certain amount but that a Black woman might face more barriers; a Black transgender woman might face even more than that. His purpose? To help combat and remove those barriers to success and inform students of resources and possibilities they may not be aware of.

“I tell my students that if you’re going to graduate school, try not to pay for graduate school. You can do graduate assistantships in another department, work for 20 hours a week, and have them pay for it.”

Another part of his personal mission and job is to get students to stop, reflect, and do the internal work necessary to step into the workforce.

A student once met with him to ask him what to do with her natural hair during interviews after she had met with several people who told her she needed to tame her hair. They ended up going over their regularly scheduled 30-minute appointment time to discuss her true values.

“Do you want to work for someone who doesn’t want to employ the authentic version of you?”

The curious critic, strategist, and creator has recently stepped into yet another role.

BY BEING CRITICAL, AND NOT REMAINING SILENT, WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO END CYCLES OF OPPRESSION THAT KEEP OUR STUDENTS FROM REACHING THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

- Matthew Cowley

In March 2020, he started the Black & Intellectualish Podcast, which has already racked up a number of five-star reviews. He created the bi-weekly chat cast with his co-host and fellow scholar, Tee Chin, who was his graduate assistant that later became his peer and friend. On the show, they talk about race, culture, and whatever else comes up.

“The purpose of the podcast is to expose people to new ideas and make academic theories more accessible through intellectual conversation,” Cowley explained.

The show came about when Cowley and Tee Chin were participating in the same graduate program and would have stimulating, sometimes challenging, but always compassionate conversations about current events or pop culture. A colleague pointed out that they should begin recording their conversations for the world to hear.

“We weren’t combative, but we would push each other to think differently,” he said of his co-host.

Both being challenged and challenging others is a powerful pattern Matthew recognizes as important in his life and in his work. “My favorite student development theory is Sanford’s theory of challenge and support, and I am driven by the ability to affect positive change in the lives of students; helping to create for them a learning environment that empowers them to thrive and become better young men and women,” he said. “We all need to be challenged.”

After an episode of the podcast titled “This Is Not New” came out, listeners reached out to let him and Tee Chin know that their perspective had been changed surrounding the murder of George Floyd.

“My co-host and I have heard from listeners that our podcast caused them to consider an issue from a different perspective. In some cases, people have changed their opinion on something altogether. We’ve also had disagreements with listeners who cared enough to reach out and debate ― respectfully ― with us on social media.”

All of the promotion for the show so far has been organic; the listenership active and authentic. For Matthew, it’s been the best part of the podcast journey so far.

“To hear that people are engaging with the content and have been moved to respond in these ways is very gratifying.“

With the show’s audience growing rapidly, they hope to begin having guests on the show soon and keep sparking healthy debate and critical thinking surrounding race and other crucial topics.

“Honestly, the thing that I’m most proud of in my career is the internal work that I’ve done to work toward ikigai. In the world of career, ikigai is a [Japanese] buzzword that has been gaining popularity. It essentially means “reason for being.” Ikigai exists at the nexus of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. I also feel an immense gratification when I can help others move toward their ikigai as well.”

Matthew is a force to be reckoned with, and with every word ― whether said one-on-one in a conversation with a student or broadcasted for many to hear ― he is living his purpose and asking people to reflect, think, and act with intention.

“I want to be known as someone who is unwaveringly committed to both my faith and to creating an equitable society. I want to be known for speaking truth to power in ways that invite people in and move them to action.”