As a young boy growing up in a household of
five children in a working class Pittsburgh
neighborhood, Dr. Tom Matta's life path was
altered through a mentorship with a friend's
dad. While their time together wasn't extensive,
it was enough for Dr. Matta to envision a
different future for himself. He left home to
pursue higher education. He received his
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of
Arts in Clinical Psychology from Edinboro
University of Pennsylvania. He also earned a
Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy,
as well as his PhD in Sociology and Marriage
and Family Therapy, at the University of
Southern California.
Influenced by the mentor in his life, Dr. Matta
became a mentor too, first by helping his
brothers obtain their GEDs and eventually,
PhDs. It was the power of mentorship that also
drove Dr. Matta to become a professor. NCU's
one-to-one learning model was attractive to him.
Dr. Matta has been a professor with NCU since
2011, and teaches a wide variety of courses in
the Department of Marriage and Family
Sciences.
"As I moved into middle age, there was a
yearning to pass on something to the next
generation of marriage and family therapists,
and I was passionate about teaching and
mentoring my students," Dr. Matta said.
Dr. Matta is also a licensed marriage and
family therapist. In his private practice in Erie,
Pennsylvania, he focuses on counseling couples
and teenagers. "An active professional practice
allows me to infuse coursework material with a
freshness that wouldn't be there otherwise.
There are always new and ready examples to
pull into the feedback and/or supervision I offer
to students."
MARRIAGE AND
FAMILY THERAPY
PROFESSORS
TOM MATTA
PhD
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