Alumni Spotlight
Matt McWilliams '94
Sharing Earlham Success Stories
Matt McWilliams '94
Matt McWilliams '94 recently took advantage of a sabbatical program at work and spent six weeks working as a volunteer for the Earlham Office of Admissions. McWilliams sent about 500 e-mail messages to fellow Earlhamites, urging them to share their stories about the positive effects of an Earlham education on their lives. He hopes several stories can be put together in a booklet and shared with prospective students, and their parents, during the admissions process.
Susan Hillman de Castaneda approached McWilliams with the idea for this project which draws inspiration from Colleges that Change Lives, a book by Loren Pope that profiles 40 colleges (including Earlham) that offer outstanding teaching and encourage high levels of student engagement but are not yet well known by the general public.
"I really want to let potential students know about the direct impact that Earlham had on my life," McWilliams said in a recent telephone interview from his office at the American Association of Retired People (A.A.R.P.) in Atlanta. "Earlham does a wonderful job of nurturing students so that they can become strong, competent and independent people."
McWilliams also notes that the College's commitment to intentional community often leads graduates to stress these principles as they pursue their careers and establish their own lives. He notes that Earlham's focus on community even influenced where he and his wife, Christine Horn '94, purchased a home.
"We chose an in-town neighborhood in Atlanta that has traditionally been underserved. It's an older neighborhood, but it has a lot of wonderful assets, like sidewalks, that encourage people to get out and interact with one another. We have found that there are lots of other people who share our interest in improving the neighborhood.
Among the neighbors that McWilliams has gotten to know is the family of Kai Woods, whom he encouraged to attend Earlham. The experience of talking with Woods and her parents about Earlham led McWilliams to assist the admissions office with this project as well as participate in the Student Alumni Program.
"I think Earlham is a very special place, but because it is a small school, alumni need to do whatever we can to raise awareness."
McWilliams recounts how he stumbled upon Earlham during his own college search. He grew up in Littleton, Mass., where a close family friend shared with him the virtues of the Earlham education. His first visit to Earlham hooked him. Thinking back to his own somewhat haphazard hunt for the right college he wants to help prospective students see clearly what Earlham has to offer.
While he acknowledges Richmond, Ind., is not an immediately desirable destination for college-bound students, McWilliams argues that Richmond offers important educational opportunities outside the College. Earlham's educational philosophies encourage students to engage beyond the borders of the school. This happens not only through Earlham's international study programs but also on a more local level with the city of Richmond.
"I think that it is very important that Earlham gives students an opportunity to live in a small city, like Richmond, where they can be exposed to real life and see the problems that many Americans face," he says.
At the A.A.R.P., McWilliams works on education and outreach on a range of issues that face older Americans. He has worked on campaigns to restrict predatory lending in the state of Georgia along with other consumer protection issues. Currently, he is working on education and outreach efforts economic security, health and supportive services, and livable communities. He notes that he was attracted to working for A.A.R.P. in part because of the organization's social mission.
"My Earlham education really stressed the importance of personal responsibility," McWilliams says. "The College gave me a foundation that has served me very well. Earlham has a compelling story to tell. What better way to tell that story than through the words of our alumni."
— Jonathan Graham
Earlhamite Editor
(Posted July 9, 2007)
Has Earlham changed your life? Tell us how in an e-mail or write to Susan Hillmann de Castaneda, Earlham College Admissions Office, 801 National Road West, Richmond, IN 47374.
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Page updated: July 9, 2007