Graduate Student Slated to Present at Upcoming Conference
When Matthew Berge ’21, ’23, ’24 represents Empire State University at conferences, he always makes sure to dress the part. His garb of choice? An orange tie and a royal blue “Empire” suit, as he calls it, complete with his alumni pin fastened to the lapel.
“I always feel a sense of pride when representing SUNY Empire at these conferences,” says Berge, a three-time alumnus and current graduate student.
Berge’s next opportunity to display his school spirit comes this November, when he presents a paper at the annual meeting of the Northeastern Political Science Association (NPSA). It will be the third time the Bay Shore, NY resident has had a paper accepted by the yearly event, which draws hundreds of attendees.
This fall, Berge—a self-described “lifelong learner” who holds master’s degrees in social and public policy and public administration—is presenting on the rise of neoliberalism in higher education since the 1970s and its correlation to increasing education costs over the last 50 years. Now enrolled in SUNY Empire’s Master of Arts in Higher Education program, Berge says the topic merges his past and present academic work.
“I felt I had a good topic to present on that ties my policy studies to my current studies in higher education,” he says of his drive to be a presenter.
Also motivational? The encouragement of his faculty mentors and advisors, says Berge, who won the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence in 2022.
“I aspire to pursue doctoral studies eventually and was taught that it is important to build my CV through academic conferences and publications continually,” he explains.
While at SUNY Empire, Berge has taken this advice to heart, expanding his resume with appearances at various events beyond the NPSA meeting. Among others, these include the SUNY Graduate Research Conference, the SUNY Digital Learning Conference, and the 17th Conference on Higher Education Reform (held at the University of Glasgow). The latter proved particularly impactful for the graduate student, who—in addition to confidence in his presenting abilities—gained from the symposium new insight into his scholarly interests.
“It was my experience in Scotland, meeting educators from across the globe, that sparked the desire to shift toward education policy, eventually leading me to pursue my current studies in higher education,” he says.