By Katlin Sweeney

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Walsh has been a fundamental part of CSUSM for the last five years, using his passion and year of presidency to leave behind positive changes on campus.

He worked as a Resident Advisor at the UVA for two years and as an assistant in the Dean of Students office. Walsh has participated in Sigma Alpha Epsilon, College Republicans, Summer Bridge and USUAB. He was the representative for all students on the Civility Campaign committee as the program was being created. Walsh has served as the Chief of Staff, the treasurer of College Republicans, Residence Hall Council and is currently the President on the ASI Board of Directors.

“I tell people that you receive your degree in the classroom,” Walsh said. “You get your education being involved in the community, and that’s what I did.”

Graduating from CSUSM with a degree in Social Sciences and a minor in history, Walsh plans to pursue a career in the political realm.

“My goal is to continue to help empower other people to achieve their goals,” he said. “I’m staying local, going back to Escondido. I just want to continue to get involved with political operations and community involvement.”

Walsh considers the biggest influences of his college career to be the ACE Scholars program for former foster youth and Brian Dawson, the former Director of the dorms.

“Brian had the biggest impact on me and a lot of the seniors that have graduated between this year and last year. He was the one that gave me a chance,” Walsh said. “He recognized the talents and abilities in people and empowered them, giving them the opportunity to achieve what is great. I don’t think my college career would have looked how it is if he hadn’t given me the opportunity to be an RA at 19. It opened the door for me and was the floodgate to everything else in my life.”

Walsh looks forward to his future after CSUSM and is grateful for the time he has spent here.

“This is the perfect way to end my college career. I spent four years learning and growing and educating myself about numerous facts of life and leadership, and presidency let me use all of that this year.”