Matusiak Honored for Service to Midwestern Criminal Justice Association
Dr. Matt Matusiak, associate dean for faculty, technology, and accreditation in the College of Business, Health, and Human Services (CBHHS) at UA Little Rock, has been honored for his remarkable service to the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association (MCJA).
Matusiak is the recipient of the Tom Castellano Award, a high honor that recognizes sustained and outstanding service to the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association.
“Receiving this award was a huge honor and surprise for me,” Matusiak said. “No one told me I was nominated, so I didn’t find out until it was announced during our annual award ceremony in Chicago, which was shocking but also very flattering. I find it very special to receive this award and be considered at a level of service comparable to Dr. Castellano.”
Castellano served as the director for the Center of Crime, Delinquency, and Corrections at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and was also the Rochester Institute of Technology Chair until his passing. The award pays tribute to Dr. Castellano’s dedication to social justice, and particularly his role as an advocate for restorative justice in the criminal justice system. He was a strong supporter for service learning who wanted his students to understand the realities and challenges of the criminal justice system.
Matusiak joined MCJA when he was a doctoral student at Sam Houston State University. He presented his first paper at this conference in 2010 and found it an excellent resource to network with criminal justice scholars. Once he joined the faculty in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Florida, Matusiak helped organize MCJA’s student career fair in 2014 and 2015, followed by organizing professional development panels from 2016 to 2023.
In 2019, Matusiak joined MCJA’s Executive Board as second vice president. He served leadership roles including first vice president, president, and immediate past president. He currently serves as MCJA’s membership chair, a role he created while serving as president when he recognized a need to expand membership opportunities in the organization. In these roles, Matusiak has been responsible for increasing fundraising, expanding membership, particularly to college students, and organizing MCJA’s first virtual programming during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Midwestern Criminal Justice Association is an organization that I care about very much,” Matusiak said. “I want to make sure that the organization continues to grow and appeals to academics and practitioners across the country. One of the things that makes receiving the award so special is that I collaborate with and work with a lot of fantastic members of MCJA. Many of the contributions are a group effort, and I am thankful for the hard work of the folks who have helped turn a lot of my ideas into reality.”
Prior to joining UA Little Rock in 2024, Matusiak served as an associate professor and undergraduate program director at the University of Central Florida, where he was instrumental in the establishment of a professional track undergraduate degree program in criminal justice.
“The Tom Castellano Award from the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association is a distinguished honor, recognizing exceptional leadership and unwavering dedication to the mission and vision of the organization and the advancement of the criminal justice discipline,” said Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, associate dean in CBHHS. “Dr. Matusiak’s contributions over the years have elevated the association and had a profound impact on the field, inspiring colleagues and shaping the next generation of criminal justice professionals. We are very fortunate to have welcomed Dr. Matusiak to UA Little Rock in 2024. His expertise and leadership will undoubtedly enhance our college and university community.”