Master of Public Administration (MPA)
Before deciding to join the MPA Program here at UGA, Matthew was a Franciscan Friar with the Order of Friars Minor. More than projecting personal beliefs, what defined his time with the Order was a commitment to being present with those on the margins, regardless of who they were. This allowed him to serve in highly diverse communities. As a friar, he worked as a literacy interventionist for K–8 students in Title 1 schools in Washington, D.C., and rural primary schools in Jamaica. Matthew also served as an operations coordinator in various homeless shelters, drop-in centers, and soup kitchens in California and again in Jamaica.
In addition to serving marginalized communities, Matthew spent significant time engaged in spiritual formation. Nothing prepared him more for a life of public service than silence, prayer, and meditation. This formation instilled in me a foundational belief: that compassion and love are deeply human values, not merely ideological ones. The ability to collaborate with and serve individuals—not just nameless collectives—is a perspective that continues to guide him. That’s why he sees the UGA MPA program as the ideal next step in his professional journey. Matthew looks forward to building a collaborative and supportive community with his cohorts, where they can learn from one another’s experiences and work together to create innovative solutions to the challenges facing their communities.
