Why I Chose to Teach: Walter M. “Sparky” Matthews, M.D., B.A. ‘92

Dropping a child off at college takes a massive leap of faith. Parents aren't just looking for someone to hand their kid a stamped sheet of paper. They want an institution that shows genuine care in keeping them safe, grounded and inspired. Walk onto Baylor’s campus and you'll see that commitment is lived out daily by faculty like Dr. Walter M. “Sparky” Matthews, M.D., B.A. ’92. 

Dr. Matthews’ resume is staggering. Graduating from Baylor in 1992, he earned his M.D. from the Baylor College of Medicine and would go on to spend 28 years in the U.S. Air Force.  

Before he came back to Waco to teach, Colonel Matthews was a decorated flight surgeon, ran a combat hospital in Afghanistan and served as the first-ever Surgeon General (Acting) of the U.S. Space Force. No one would have blamed him if he chose the comforts of well-earned retirement. Instead, he chose an undergraduate classroom as his next calling. 

“I dreamed of coming back to Baylor to teach since before I graduated from Baylor,” Dr. Matthews said. “During my assignment at Space Force, God opened a door for me to come back and do just that. I had some amazing professors and mentors during my time at Baylor, and I am blessed beyond measure to be that person to a new generation of students.” 

For Baylor undergrads, especially those grinding through pre-med and health care tracks, having a professor who has sat in their seats before going on to leadership roles that included true life-and-death circumstances, Dr. Matthews is able to offer immense perspective and care. 

Dr. Matthews teaches from the perspective of someone who managed the health and readiness of over 159,000 military personnel worldwide. In his classes, students learn how to think straight under intense pressure, lead with real integrity and treat medicine as a true calling rather than paycheck. 

“Teaching is a very basic part of leadership, which made moving into the classroom a natural process,” Dr. Matthews said. “A military commander has 6 jobs according to General Bill Creech:  teach, teach, teach, coach, coach, coach. Leading Airmen is about lending them your vision for the destination and end-state. Teaching students is about lending them your vision for a new state of understanding. Effective teaching is leading students into a new understanding of the world.” 

When asked why he pours so much energy into these students, his answer shows his own genuine approach to the classroom. 

“I love my students as if they were my own kids, and I do everything I can think of to help them become the people they want to be,” Dr. Matthews said.  

That kind of hands-on mentorship is a bit of a full-circle moment for him. 

When he was an undergraduate at Baylor, Dr. Matthews sat in the same lecture halls, learning from legendary Baylor professors who completely shifted the direction of his life. He now can share that same gift with his students.  

The graduating senior class recently noticed, voting him the 2026 Collins Outstanding Professor, an award that is solely selected from student votes. 

Dr. Matthews is a shining example of the value students receive when faculty choose to return to the classroom after full, successful careers in their chosen industry or field. At Baylor, students are mentored by these world-class experts who purposefully choose the classroom because they are driven by a singular, shared mission: to see the next generation thrive.