New England College of Business faculty profile: Matthew Fowler, Adjunct Professor in Accounting

Matthew Fowler has worked as a comptroller and chief financial officer for the professional service industries of engineering and forensic accounting firms for 20 years. He has also spent 10 years serving as an adjunct professor for various colleges and universities across the country. But after decades spent balancing jobs in the corporate world with part-time teaching responsibilities, he was ready for a change. Like many of his current New England College of Business students, he decided to pursue online education. He earned his bachelor's and master's in accounting through online universities and decided to go after his lifelong goal of becoming a full-time teacher.

“Teaching is what I was probably supposed to be doing all along,” he says. “But I think I bring a world of experience that many teachers can't because of 20 years of being an executive in corporate.”

As an adjunct accounting professor at New England College of Business, Matthew teaches a course in financial literacy, helping students understand finance as it applies to their everyday lives, from dissecting their credit scores to buying a home and paying their taxes.

He also understands the challenges online students face. In addition to having earned his bachelor's and master's degrees online, Matthew is pursuing his Ph.D. in accounting through an online university, with his dissertation topic focused on forensic accounting.

Matthew is also currently teaching at a university in Wenzhou, China, an entrepreneurial city south of Shanghai, while caring for his family back in the United States. He uses his packed schedule to his advantage as he teaches online courses while taking his own.

“I am just more of a dedicated scholar-practitioner because I put the education in my hands,” he says.

Matthew notices the same dedication in his students at New England College of Business.

“The students at New England College of Business are extremely engaged in the discussion, which improves the overall student experience,” he says.

He watches as his students participate in discussion boards and chat with classmates. When they ask Matthew if advancing their education is worth it, despite all their other responsibilities, he can safely say yes. After all, his education has given him the chance to broaden his horizon, travel the world and bring his own life lessons to the classroom.

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