By Julius Williams
If you need proof that college is more than classes and homework, then meet Maxwell Matite, a 2010 graduate of the college, now enrolled at the prestigious American University in Washington, D.C.
The native Kenyan moved to Kansas City 10 years ago. He specifically chose the college to learn public policy and participate in the college’s Model United Nations program. Matite knew that the college had a nationally recognized program and wanted to participate.
“The college has one the best Model UN programs in the country,” said Matite.
The Model UN is a student-led simulation of the United Nations. Students choose countries to represent and debate international issues. By participating in the debates, student learn to develop their public speaking, negotiation and conflict resolution skills using real-world scenarios.
Professor Brian Wright, political science, is the adviser of the Model UN team and worked with Matite as his mentor.
“Maxwell was an exceptional student in international relations, political science and the Model United Nations courses,” Wright said. “He joined the award-winning Model United Nations team in spring 2010 and quickly demonstrated his intellectual potential, commitment and dedication to the program.”
While at the college, Matite traveled with Wright and the team to Chicago, St. Louis and New York City to compete. He served as president of the Model UN team and received an Outstanding Delegate award at the 2011 National Model UN Conference in New York City.
Matite said that he always knew he wanted to work in public policy. When he first came to the college, Patti Ward, psychology professor, immediately noticed his enthusiasm and work ethic.
“I’ve worked at the college for 13 years, and early on I recognized that we need to pick out students that are outstanding and inform them about the various groups on campus that they can benefit from,” Ward said.
Ward noticed that Matite was interested in public policy and felt that the honors program at the college would be a good place to start.
“I told him it would be a good idea for him,” she said. “He was extremely mature, intelligent and his work was of the highest caliber.”
Matite credits his professors at the college for teaching him to be a well-rounded student.
“Going to class is not enough,” Matite said. “The resources [at the college] are tremendous. Get involved in clubs and organizations. Your professors are the ones that can expose you to resources and give you opportunities.”
Those opportunities, for Matite, included a fellowship in the Public Policy and International Affairs program at Princeton University.
Matite turned down Princeton and instead enrolled at American University in Washington, D.C. It was the university’s reputation as a top-notch public policy school that interested Matite, but it was Washington, D.C. itself that sealed the deal.
“I chose American [University] because I wanted to be in Washington,” he said. “This is the place if you want to do anything in public policy.”
Matite plans to finish his undergraduate studies at American University, and is considering staying at the university for his graduate work. He credits the instructors at the college for providing the foundation upon which his success has been built and advises students to learn as much as they can from their professors and use them as resources.
“[The college] was great,” he said. “The instructors really helped me out. I learned from their vast knowledge. They really work to help you meet your interests.”
Contact Julius Williams, sports editor, at jwilli78@jccc.edu.