Matt Connolly ’13
What involvement did/do you have with MOVE? What program did/do you volunteer with and/or lead? What years?
3 Service Trips: Buffalo, NY (2011); CRST, South Dakota (2012); Dominican Republic (2013)
What’s your MOVE story?
I was raised to believe that “to those who have been given much, much is expected.” MOVE helped me to live out that mantra by giving me a chance to give back to not just my local community but to think globally as well. My three service trips were all so different, but the lessons I drew from them were so important that they continue to impact my life today.
In what ways did/does MOVE impact you?
MOVE is so valuable because you learn to see both the forest and the trees. You study the big systemic issues at play, whether its colonization, poverty, addiction, or agriculture. Then once you’re on the ground, you meet the individuals whose lives have been shaped by these outside forces, and you see how policy made hundreds or thousands of miles away or history from decades or centuries ago continues to impact the lives of individuals today. Being able to go on these trips has been one of the highlights not just of my college career but of my life, and I am still so humbled and inspired by the experiences I had.
If you are an alumni, what influence does MOVE continue to have on your life today?
No matter what you do for work, you’re always going to have to work with and understand people. Being on the ground in situations so unlike your day-to-day life helps you to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, whether you’re in an urban classroom, on the plains of South Dakota, or in an agrarian village in the mountains of the DR. Sharing a meal with someone, hearing their story, engaging with them and being able to see them as a human being is such a powerful reminder that we all have so much more in common than what divides us. MOVE inspired me to continue to find ways to give back, to study the world, to make a difference however I can. Especially today, with the ongoing fight for social justice and the global pandemic, our heads, hearts, and hands are more important than ever.
Anything else you would like to add?
MOVE was truly one of the most impactful experiences of my life. I’m so thankful I did it and hope other students can continue to have similar experiences!