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Retired NDSU administrator and alumnus awaits publishing of new book on May 5, 2021

Prakash Mathew, a retired NDSU administrator and alumnus, is awaiting the publishing of his book “We Are Called . . . To Do the Right Thing” set to come out May 5, 2021. Within the 8-chapter book, he tells of the stories, personal accounts and the lessons he’s learned during his life and career.

A lot of the personal stories talk about his childhood days and the values that he learned from his parents. “My parents were my mentors,” Mathew said.

Mathew met Pastor Ross and Peg Robson from Fargo, North Dakota during his undergraduate program in Agricultural Studies in 1968 while in India.

To further his education in counseling and guidance, he moved from India to Fargo, North Dakota in 1971.

Mathew’s 34-year career at NDSU culminated as vice president for student affairs from 2006 until his retirement in 2014.

According to Mathew, the inspiration for the book came from former students and staff members who encouraged him to write based on the speeches and workshops he did on various topics throughout his career. “I had no intention to write this book,” Mathew said.

Mathew learned great lessons from his students and staff members. A good amount of the book deals with the lessons he learned and how he applied those lessons to his values.

“I still keep in touch with hundreds of students and staff members,” Mathew said. “They think that I played a role in their life, but I think I gained more from them if anything else.”

The title for his book came from Micah 6:8. “I always wanted the students to refer to me as Prakash. I worked hard to practice the servant leadership model,” Mathew said.

Mathew models all the things he teaches, most importantly for his children. In the book, he tells the story of a trip he took with his children.

“I failed miserably on this one, and I used that to explain what it means to do the right thing for the right reason,” Mathew said. “We might have the right principle, but we, too, can make mistakes.”

In the book, Mathew explains his 80/20 principle, especially when it comes to the workplace. The principle explains what happens when personal values are in conflict with an organization’s values.

When people apply for a job, they do some research, but they want the job so bad they will overlook the value system of the company.

People need to identify their core values before they can even begin the evaluating process. These core values can’t be sacrificed according to Mathew.

When it comes to the 80/20 principle, knowing what you’re doing, believing in what you do, and having fun in what you do are key factors to a successful workplace. “If you practice this, you will have an enjoyable work experience,” Mathew said.

Mathew also gets into some principles about people’s value systems: What is right vs. what is wrong, what is legal vs. what is illegal and doing the right thing for the right reason.

“Once the decision is made, if you get butterflies in your stomach, and you hope nobody will find out about this, then you are not doing the right thing for the right reason,” Mathew said.

Everyone has a conscience and that acts as an inner warning system. “God has given every person an inner conscience, it is your awareness of moral standards,” Mathew said.

“If your moral compass is in the right direction, then you will do the right thing,” Mathew said. “And the final principle I always use as my moral compass is my relationship with God.”