2006 Faculty Awards: Matthews Brings Entrepreneurial Enthusiasm to Classroom

Putting students to work on real-life problems faced by companies is what earns UC Professor of Management Charles Matthews high marks from his business students – and now, the title of Distinguished Teaching Professor.

During a 30-year career at UC, Dr. Matthews has taught more than 5,000 students ranging from freshmen to doctoral students to executives, in addition to guiding 500 student-based field studies. Each year some of his students’ projects are entered into case competitions, and they regularly win regional prizes.

In 2000, 2002 and 2003, teams from the UC won first place nationally in the Small Business Institute Directors’ Association Case of the Year competition.

It’s not uncommon for students to comment about how working with Matthews has profoundly affected their lives. The field studies also have significant impact on small businesses.

Matthews is the founding director of the UC Center for Entrepreneurship Education & Research and serves as director of UC’s Small Business Institute®.