Professional Background

Dr. Tammy Rae Matthews is an assistant professor within the St. Bonaventure Jandoli School of Communication and teaches courses in digital and sports journalism for SBU’s online masters programs.

Dr. Matthews is recognized for her accomplishments in books such as “Pushing Back: Empowering Birthing Bodies Online. How Blogs and Podcasts are Challenging Biocertified Discourses of Pregnancy and Birth”. She has freelanced for the Sun-Times publications and served as the chamber editor for Chicago Southland Business magazine. Along with her journalism experience, she served as the director of marketing and communications for the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Matthews has even participated and presented in over a dozen academic conferences and panel presentations touching on a variety of sports and society media, with a dissertation focus on “Queering Namibian sport: An Oral History”.

In 2015, Dr. Matthews spent time in Barcelona, Spain, at the Barcelona International College where she received Spanish language training and within that same year spent time in Prague, Czech Republic where she completed a Foreign Correspondent Course. Additionally, she received the “Award of Excellence, Sports in 2019 BEA”, and was a “Top 2 Student Paper in Sports Communications” in 2017.

Dr. Matthews brings with her years of research experience, along with a vast history of magazine editing. She explains that her teaching philosophy is constructed so that students feel as if they are in newsrooms and sports teams. She wishes to educate students on all things modern media while acting like a coach that believes in collective education where conversations reach all corners. “Take advantage of every opportunity,” says Matthews. “You never know where it will go.”

Dr. Matthews currently resides in Colorado where she enjoys spending time with her rescue dogs. She has a passion for nature, museums, and travel.

Academic Degrees

• Ph.D., Philosophy, Media Research and Practice & Journalism Studies, University of Colorado-Boulder, 2022
• M.S., Journalism and Media Communications, Colorado State University, 2016
• B.A., Journalism, Magazine Emphasis, 2004