President Dan Mahony will present Matthews with the 2016 James Pinckney Kinard and
Lee Wicker Kinard Award for Excellence in Teaching during the 11 a.m. ceremony at
the Winthrop Coliseum. The Kinard Award is given annually to a faculty member who has demonstrated a dedication
to teaching and is highly regarded on campus by faculty and students. 
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Winthrop University will honor Associate Professor Michael
Matthews with its top teaching award at the Dec. 17 Commencement ceremony in recognition
of his many teaching and scholarship contributions to the institution.
President Dan Mahony will present Matthews with the 2016 James Pinckney Kinard and Lee Wicker Kinard Award for Excellence in Teaching during the 11 a.m. ceremony at the Winthrop Coliseum.
The Kinard Award is given annually to a faculty member who has demonstrated a dedication to teaching
and is highly regarded on campus by faculty and students. Established by the Kinard
family, it honors former Winthrop President James P. Kinard and his wife, Lee Wicker
Kinard.
Matthews joined the Winthrop faculty in 2005 as an assistant professor of management and was
promoted in 2009 to associate professor. He teaches healthcare management and management
courses for the College of Business Administration and Human Experience courses for Winthrop's general education program. He also develops
and supervises student internships in the healthcare management field.
"Dr. Matthews uses varied content, instruction, and assessments for his classes that
include traditional lectures, service learning projects, current event topics, and
visits by outside industry executives," said Debra Boyd, the university's provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.
One project — the Life Blooms Eternal Campaign started in 2010 — involved placing colorful umbrellas by the Winthrop Lake at Homecoming
in partnership with Agape Hospice to help remember lost loved ones. It is now used
by Agape Hospice in every market in South Carolina.
Dean Roger Weikle praised Matthews' contributions to the growth of student enrollments, curriculum
development, healthcare program accreditation, mentoring, certificate programs, networking,
private donor giving, and student placement. Matthews also served as chairperson for
the university's Faculty Committee on University Priorities, one of the highest ranking
on campus, and the college's Promotion and Tenure Committee.
Matthews has authored eight peer-reviewed articles in national journals and given
countless presentations. His writings cover electronic medical records, government
reimbursement rates to teaching hospitals, personnel issues, and other timely healthcare
topics. He also has provided expert commentary to regional media on healthcare issues,
from the Affordable Care Act to regional analysis of the industry.
He received the College of Business Administration's Service Award last spring for his enthusiastic and positive impact on the college, which is both
broad and deep.
Matthews earned a Ph.D. in health services administration from the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
He also holds an M.S. in health administration from the Medical University of South
Carolina and a B.S. in healthcare management and marketing from Appalachian State
University.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or e-mail her at longshawj@winthrop.edu.
