Matthew Naven

Matthew Naven is an assistant professor of economics in the Department of Economics at Washington and Lee University. His research focuses on the economics of education, public finance, and labor economics, examining the effects of institutions, public policies, and external forces on student outcomes. He is particularly interested in barriers faced by low-income students, increasing college access, and education as a pathway out of poverty. His work has explored the timing of school quality on long-term outcomes, disparities in school quality by socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and gender, and the effects of banning affirmative action. Naven earned his BA in economics from Xavier University and a PhD in economics from the University of California, Davis.

updated 2025