Dr. Neil Matkin, Vice Chancellor for Information Technology Services at Virginia Community College System, will join the San Jacinto College team in August as president of the Central campus.

Dr. Matkin will begin his tenure August 7, replacing longtime campus president Dr. Monte Blue. Blue has been with San Jacinto College for 37 years, 25 of those as president of the Central campus.

“As a major provider meeting the transfer and training needs of a growing region, San Jacinto is extraordinarily attractive,” commented Matkin. “The college is well respected regionally and nationally, and is a pioneer in the Achieving the Dream movement. Further, San Jacinto College enjoys tremendous community support as evidenced by the recent bond issue that passed by a considerable majority.”

Having grown up in Orange, Texas, the attraction to SJC, and Texas, is not surprising. Much of his immediate family resides in the Orange area, so his arrival in Pasadena will be a homecoming of sorts.

Dr. Matkin holds a doctorate in education from Texas A&M University in Commerce; an MBA from the University of Dallas in Irving, with a specialty in information systems; a master’s degree in telecommunications management from Golden Gate University in Los Angeles; and bachelor and associate degrees in liberal arts / theology from Ambassador College in Pasadena, California, and Big Sandy, Texas, respectively.

Dr. Matkin is currently the Vice Chancellor for Information Technology Services for VCCS, where he is the chief information officer for the statewide system of 23 community colleges located on 40 campuses throughout Virginia. “Although I have an extensive background in technology administration, my interest in utilizing technology is to make certain that it helps our students and faculty in teaching and learning,” noted Matkin.

 In his current role as the chief information officer for the system, Matkin is responsible for information technology planning. He provides direct leadership for a staff of 70, and works closely with campus presidents, vice presidents of finance, chief information officers and others to provide guidance for all IT personnel.

“We are pleased to have Dr. Neil Matkin join the San Jacinto College team,” said Dr. Bill Lindemann, Chancellor. “His hiring is the result of a thorough review process by our faculty, staff and students, and I am confident Dr. Matkin will quickly contribute to our tradition of academic excellence and community service.”

Prior to his time at VCCS, Dr. Matkin was the chief administrative officer for the Illinois Century Network, a statewide education network under the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Prior to that he was the director of client services for the Network, where he was involved in spearheading its creation and garnering both legislative and funding support. He has also served as the co-director for the network, as well as senior associate director for information systems / policy analyst for the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Dr. Matkin has also held faculty positions at Ambassador University in Big Sandy, Texas.

As a first-generation college student, Dr. Matkin knows the transformational power that a community college can have on first-generation students, and he has used that feeling to pursue his career in higher education. He noted that his first college class was in a community college, “That introduction to the community college and the faculty dedicated to teaching and learning impressed me as a young adult and has remained a major factor in my decision to work with community colleges.”

Dr. Matkin and his wife, Janyth, have three children. Nathaniel (21), will be a senior majoring in mathematics at Virginia Tech; Aaron (19) plans to enroll in the culinary arts program at San Jacinto College; and Benjamin (17) will be a high school senior.