by Emily Eilers
Lincoln, Neb. — After over 30 years with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Gina Matkin, professor of leadership in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, will retire.
Matkin’s retirement celebration will be Thursday, Aug. 29. from 3 to 5 p.m. in the East Campus Union Arbor Suite. The program will start at 4 p.m.
The first several years of Matkin’s career began as the university’s first full-time coordinator of the Women’s Resource Center, now known as the Gender and Sexuality Center, in 1989. Matkin then spent several years with student involvement and became the Assistant Director of Training and Development for the Nebraska Unions. During this time, Matkin received her doctoral degree and in 2005 became an assistant professor of leadership for the ALEC department.
“Dr. Gina Matkin is the epitome of ALEC’s core values of treating everyone with the highest level of dignity, conducting her work with excellence, and being ridiculously collaborative,” said Mark Balschweid, Department Head. “She’s been the model of a servant leader for our students, our department, and for the entire state of Nebraska. She will be sorely missed by everyone – but with hearty congratulations on a career in service to others.”
While in ALEC, Matkin taught courses such as ALEC 102 about interpersonal skills for leaders, ALEC 410 and 810 about environmental leadership and ALEC 814 about classic figures in leadership. Additionally, Matkin developed and taught ALEC 466 and 866 about leadership and diversity. Matkin helped numerous students earn graduate degrees.
Most of Matkin’s work was dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for all and advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion. Matkin received the 2022 CASNR Holling Family Faculty Award for Inclusive Excellence in Teaching and Learning and the 2024 Association for Leadership Educators Distinguished Leadership and Service Award.
Matkin found making a difference in students’ lives to be her ultimate greatest achievement.
“The most meaningful part of my whole career is the privilege of being able to contribute to people’s lives and help them in some way,” Matkin said. “Maybe I said just the thing they needed to hear one day, or maybe the subject I was teaching became something they became passionate about.”
Once retired, Matkin will miss the daily connections with colleagues across the university, especially in the ALEC Department. Matkin enjoyed regularly getting lunch with colleagues and helping each other with various topics such as making changes to a course or matters outside of academia.
Matkin was a first-generation student and is grateful for the words of wisdom and encouragement to do things beyond what seemed possible.
“I want to say thank you to everybody that I have worked with and interacted with for how they have contributed to my life and making it better,” Matkin said.
Matkin plans to keep learning through her retirement whether it be picking up the guitar and singing again or learning more Spanish and sign language. Matkin will also enjoy more bike riding, hiking at state and national parks and gardening. Lastly, Matkin will be involved in the community volunteering with nonprofit agencies.