Staff Spotlight: Who Says You Can’t Go Home

After 17 years, Jennifer Matisi ’98 came back to work at Brooklyn College and rediscovered what she had loved about the campus. 

Many people describe Jennifer Matisi ’98 as a low-profile, large-footprint kind of woman. As the administrative executive coordinator for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, she works closely with the dean, Kenneth A. Gould, managing a complex range of demands with sometimes scarce resources. Her workload includes everything from planning conferences and events to handling payments and paperwork.

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in accounting and working on a trading desk at a securities firm and then as a stay-at-home mom for about 10 years, Matisi came to Brooklyn College in 2015. She started as a college assistant who helped with the logistics of launching the CUNY–Haitian Studies Institute and became Gould’s assistant after about a year.

“She treats everyone with respect and good humor, and she's a creative problem solver when coordinating with other offices,” says Gould. “Jennifer is a terrific team player and has served a critical role in keeping the HSS staff and faculty connected to the HSS Dean's Office throughout the pandemic.”

What brought you back to Brooklyn College after having a career and then a family?
I live in Queens now, but I felt comfortable with this campus. It felt like coming home. I love it here. I love the position I’m in, I love the office, and I love the campus. I enjoy talking to all of the faculty, going to the events, and hearing the speakers. I’m learning new things all the time.

Anytime anybody asks about Brooklyn College, I tell them it’s an oasis in the middle of this urban area. I have a daughter who’s looking at colleges and I tell her to look for something that makes her feel like she belongs. That’s what I found here.

If you ask anyone about Jennifer Matisi, the first thing you will hear is “she is the nicest person.”
Just being kind to people gets you so much in return. That’s how I am with everything: Kill them with kindness. If a student’s call comes to me, I always keep in the back of my mind that I remember what it’s like to be a student and to get a little frustrated. I want to help in the best way possible, especially students. If I hear, “You’re the fourth office I’ve been transferred to,” I tell them, “OK, then this will be the last.”

What do you like to do outside of work?
I like to craft. I like to take road trips with my family in the summer along the East Coast. I like to plan parties. I’m putting one together for my mom’s 75th birthday; we’re doing a Breakfast at Tiffany’s theme. I also love going to Broadway shows and concerts. And don’t tell anyone, but I like to watch corny Christmas movies.