Jeffrey Matthews, business and leadership professor at the University of Puget Sound, spoke about his book, “Colin Powell: Imperfect Patriot,” on Monday, Oct. 28, in the Guthart Cultural Center Theater at Hofstra University.
“[Matthews] traced Powell’s military and political career, focusing on his service in four presidencies: [Ronald] Reagan, [George H. W.] Bush, [Bill] Clinton and [George W.] Bush,” said Meenekshi Bose, professor of political science at Hofstra University.
“The Seeking Purpose series gives Hofstra students the unique opportunity to hear from and interact with professionals from a wide variety of fields who [not only] created a career path for themselves, but also have an inspiring professional journey,” said W. Houston Dougharty, vice president for Student Affairs at Hofstra University.
Matthews spoke on the pros and cons of the former U.S. general’s career in public service as well as the process of writing his book about the former lieutenant.
“I [was] looking at my phone and [saw] I [received] an email. The email [was] from Colin Powell,” Matthews said. “The email [said], ‘Dear Professor Matthews, I read an article you wrote recently, I’d like to discuss it with you.’”
The article Matthews wrote was published in The Hill, a Washington, D.C., political newspaper. It was an op-ed letter addressed to General H. R. McMaster about “the new position [McMaster was] going to take in the Trump administration and how there are some things [McMaster] can learn about from Colin Powell’s experience,” Matthews said.
In his piece on McMaster, Matthews wrote that Powell was a “deeply thoughtful and morally courageous senior military adviser to President George H.W. Bush.”
Later in the lecture, Matthews touched on how he was able to expand the email conversations between himself and Powell into an interview. “Three months later, I was at his house and we spent four hours together,” Matthews said. “By then I had written a draft of the book, so I was pretty well prepared.”
After the talk, Matthews opened up a question and answer session to which students and adults were able to ask their questions regarding Powell.
“I loved it when the people were asking the questions and he was giving firm answers. It seemed like he really, honestly knew a lot about [the subject], especially because he wrote the book,” said Joshua Knickerbocker, a senior from Island Trees High School who attended the event.
“I went in not knowing much about [General] Colin Powell or Jeffery Matthews’ book. After the event, I developed a deeper appreciation for what Colin Powell did while he was the United States National Security Advisor,” said Michael Roller, a sophomore political science and public policy double major.
“He had a very in-depth accounting of a man who had several positions in government,” said Craig Burnett, associate professor of political science. “[I] learned quite a few things that I didn’t quite remember or possibly know about [Powell].”
