Matt McCluskey

Matt McCluskey has been serving as St. Lawrence’s Coordinator of Academic Engagement since February 2018 and is now in his 13^th year working at his alma mater.  Matt sees his position as a wonderful opportunity to teach, mentor, and advise students, to lead our peer tutors, and to help students--- especially sophomores---develop momentum in their academic and co-curricular endeavors.   He hopes to use his skills, experience, and many good relationships to connect students with engaged learning opportunities, teach proactive academic strategies, and help students imagine, develop, and implement a positive vision for their time here.  His work includes participation in campus-wide retention efforts and collaboration across many different programs and departments, most especially Athletics and the Sophomore Success Initiative.

Matt has also learned much teaching in St. Lawrence’s classrooms, having led over two dozen courses.   Most recently, he has begun teaching political theory within the Government Department, and he covers a range of sophomore seminars on such topics as urban planning, youth athletics, and the history of the college student experience.  He holds a master's degree from Duke University and served in such roles as legislative director, political researcher, reading specialist, and history teacher before returning to SLU.  Matt is married to Jennifer McCluskey, a photographer and business developer in the North Country, and they have a 9-year-old son, Sean.    They also have a goofy cat, Lovebug; too many fish (plus one horse!); and family in the Hudson Valley and Middle Tennessee whom they enjoy seeing whenever they can.   Matt is a youth baseball and soccer coach and the mentor for SLU's alpine ski and men's soccer teams.   When he’s not at work, Matt enjoys kayaking, Nordic skiing, being a hockey dad (Go Golden Bears!), cooking, and doing battle with his 120-year-old house.