This is a follow-up story to another recent post, I Just Wish to Be Like Me. The original post was an essay for a college application written by Stern Center alum, Matt Zahn, four years ago. The following is the story of Matt's success, told by him, as he nears college graduation.
Four years is a very long time, particularly for young people. High school, and later college, feel like a lifetime of personal growth. I was recently given the opportunity to review an essay that I wrote for my college application. Now, as a senior at the George Washington University in Washington DC, reading this essay gave me pause to reflect on the challenges that brought me to where I am today.
Much of who I am today came from the experience of not being able to read in the third grade, and my journey with the Stern Center and my "coach," Neil Shapiro. Neil was more than just a teacher for me; he was somebody I identified with as a friend and mentor. He not only taught me how to read and write well, and made math easier, but also turned me on to fun music and TV shows. While it was hard to say goodbye to him when I went to high school, it paled in comparison to when I had heard he died in a car accident. To this day, I can still feel the hole in my heart that his tragic death created. I would not be where I am today were it not for Neil and the Stern Center.
Next May I will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Political Science with a minor in Statistics. I have relied heavily on many of the reading and math skills developed with Neil at the Stern Center. I received the Luther Rice Fellowship this spring to create a new forecasting measure for employment, the current topic for my senior thesis. I plan to further develop this piece so that I can graduate with honors in economics. I have even been inducted into honor societies for economics and political science. All this from a student who could not even read in third grade! Whodathunkit.
I am also involved outside the classroom. My campus job gave me the opportunity to stay in Washington for the summers with free housing. During my first summer, I interned with Senator Patrick Leahy. Senator Leahy and his staff are so passionate about serving Vermont and defending its interests in the Capitol.
At the end of my time with Senator Leahy, I had the opportunity to work with another Senator, Max Baucus, who is currently our Ambassador to China. This past summer I worked as a Summer Consultant with the economic consulting firm Bates White. This was a challenging but very rewarding experience, and I am thrilled to be joining them again, full time, after graduation.
Neil and the Stern Center made all of this possible for me. Looking back now, I realize that Stern did more for me than just helping me learn to read. They helped me build confidence in myself so that I can just be me. If Neil were with us today, there would be so much to say to him, but the first would be thank you. Thank you for helping me, thank you for your passion for teaching, and thank you for all the laughs we shared together. I am so grateful for all the work the Stern Center does. The Stern Center is so passionate about their students and their learning. As I reflect on what brought me to where I am today, Neil and the Stern Center are two very large pieces.
Thank you, Stern Center; great minds don't think alike.
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