By Nicole Thomas
MSU’s 2014 Men of Color Summit addressed global competitiveness and explored pathways to academic achievement. The two day event featured several speakers and panel discussions who discussed the unique challenges facing men of color and how to overcome them.
Matt was invited to participate in a panel discussion, “Student Perspectives: Navigating the Path.”
Matt says he shared some pretty simple advice he learned from his parents.
“Don’t half-step,” Matt said. “You have to commit yourself.”
“I grew up with supportive parents who helped me determine my talents and my strengths,” Matt added. “I learned to listen to them. Their wisdom helped me to understand what I was capable of doing in my life.”
Matt is comfortable in front of a camera or an audience. He’s co-anchoring SHS’s news program, My Morning Jacket, for the second year in a row, and he plans to study broadcasting in college.
But he doesn’t shy away from a challenge.
“I experienced my first big test as a high school student in Advanced Placement European History,” Matt said. “The course required a lot of writing, critical thinking, and applying knowledge, but it really showed me what I could accomplish as a student.”
Matt continues to practice his parents’ advice.
A member of the SHS Thespians, Matt is heavily involved in SHS’s theatre department and he’s already preparing the festival show. When he’s not preparing for his next MMJ broadcast or memorizing his lines for festival, Matt is studying calculus.
“Math is challenging for me but I’m committed and I’m learning to be a problem-solver and that makes me a stronger person,” Matt said.