Matthew Ison

Dr. Matthew Ison brings a wealth of experience and a deeply personal perspective to the study of higher education policy and administration. A first-generation college graduate and former community college administrator, Dr. Ison is passionate about ensuring that institutional, state, and federal policies create real access and opportunity for students. His research focuses on equity, access, and student outcomes, bridging rigorous theoretical insights with practical strategies administrators can use to lead their institutions effectively.

Dr. Ison’s dissertation, Does Everyone Go to College? A Critical Policy Analysis of State Proposed and Enacted Tuition-Free Legislation, reflects his commitment to examining educational equity and policy impacts. His work has been widely published, including studies on tuition-free community college legislation, equity in state promise programs, and student success outcomes. He has also been recognized with the Bill Butler Award for Outstanding Doctoral Student.

Outside of academia, Dr. Ison is an avid rec-league hockey player, enjoys playing soccer with his family, and passionately supports Newcastle United—bringing the same energy and dedication to the classroom as he does to the rink.

Recent Publications

• Bullington, K.E., Ison, M.P., Li, J., & Lopez, E. (2025). Financial considerations of vertical transfer students. Salary and student loan outcomes for bachelor’s degree recipients. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, (19),4-5, 241-261. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2024.2420905
• Ison, M.P. (2025). Issues of equity and access in state-designed promise programs: An analysis of free community college legislative frameworks. Journal of Higher Education Politics and Economics, 11(2), 32-54.https://www.ojed.org/hepe/article/view/7837/3533
• Gándara, D., Anahideh, H., Ison, M.P., & Tayal, A. (2024). Inside the black box: Detecting and mitigating algorithmic bias across racial/ethnic groups in college student-success prediction. AERA Open, 10(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584241258741
• Ison, M. P. (2023). Data and research as evidence in tuition-free community college legislation. In D. A. Smith, C. M. Cain, & J. N. Friedel (Eds.), New Directions for Community Colleges, 203, 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.2059