NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University recognized Col. Jeffrey C. Mathews for his military service during Saturday’s football game. Known on campus as Dr. Mathews, he is NSU’s director of bands and associate professor of music in the School of Creative and Performing Arts.
Mathews has over 36 years of service in the Army and Air National Guard. He is the former commander and conductor of the Band of the Gulf Coast, Texas Air National Guard and served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan. He is currently the chief of Air National Guard Bands for the National Guard Bureau.
Mathews military schooling includes the Academy of Military Science, Squadron Officers School, Air Command and Staff College and Air War College. His awards include Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Mathews is a native of Bossier City and a 1990 graduate of Northwestern State where he was drum major for the Spirit of Northwestern Demon Marching Band and a member of Phi Mu Alpha and Sinfonia. He holds a Master of Music Education from the University of North Texas. In 2006, he was awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Mathews and his wife Kristine Coreil, a professor of music at NSU, have two daughters, Devon and Lauren.
