Shaping the future: Service, honors and the path ahead

“My first honors class shifted my entire view on college as an academic experience.”

Matthias McDermott chose the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire for his education experience as it was the most “affordable, research-focused” university he could attend. Having lived in Eau Claire prior to college, attending UWEC allowed him to tap into local connections that would help him pursue opportunities for medical school.

Majoring in biology and minoring in pre-professional health sciences, McDermott initially thought the Mark Stephen Cosby Honors College would be academically overwhelming. However, after taking his first honors course, "Exploring the World Through 'Schitt’s Creek,'" where he engaged in lively discussions with classmates, he quickly realized that honors would enrich his collegiate experience in ways he hadn’t anticipated.

Academic and community involvement

Throughout his time at UWEC, McDermott has immersed himself in a variety of academic and community-focused roles, positively impacting the lives of others.

He participated in research opportunities with Dr. Tyler Doyon in the chemistry and biochemistry department, contributing to biocatalysis research. McDermott explained, “The goal of the research is to take fossil fuel/oil waste and turn it into commodity chemicals for commercial use.”

In addition to his research, McDermott assisted other students in the physics department as a supplemental instructor under Dr. Erik Hendrickson. He is currently volunteering in the surgery department of Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire and previously worked as a phlebotomist at Sacred Heart Hospital, taking blood samples for patients before the hospital closed. His community involvement also extends to his church youth group, helping them with programming and community outreach.

McDermott’s commitment to service is evident through his four and a half years in the National Guard, where he has grown personally and professionally. He shared that his time in the Guard helped him “develop and grow as a person coming out of high school,” and he values the opportunity to “help the community in a way a lot of people don’t get to.” He looks forward to continuing his work with the Guard in the future. Additionally, McDermott has benefited from the Army ROTC program on campus, which has offered him opportunities to develop leadership skills, engage in team building and receive generous scholarships that help with college expenses.

Being a peer mentor for the honors first-year experience course was a highlight of McDermott’s college experience. He enjoyed helping freshman students “get adjusted to college life, specifically honors and what their honors journey would look like for them.” Reflecting on all he’s accomplished during his time at UWEC, McDermott noted the mentoring experience was “the most directly valuable experience in terms of exposure to new students and helping to educate them.”

Dr. Heather Fielding, director of the Cosby Honors College, worked with McDermott in the HNRS 100 course. She noted that this course is a valuable experience for new first-year students because it connects them with students like McDermott, who have made the most of college. “It was so meaningful for new students to hear about how Matthias balanced a heavy science course load with research, ROTC and the National Guard,” she said. “Matthias is committed to service — to his peers, his country and his future patients — and it was amazing to see his freshmen asking his advice about how to get involved in the community.”

Shaping the journey ahead

As McDermott prepares to step into life beyond graduation, he reflects on how the Cosby Honors College has shaped his journey. With students from diverse fields and backgrounds, he believes the program helped him develop the “ability to learn to communicate effectively with all sorts of people, which has been instrumental while applying to graduate schools and working with post-grad life.” He encourages others to join the Cosby Honors College, emphasizing that it “develops you as a person like no other academic program I’ve been a part of.”

Looking back on his four years at UWEC, McDermott is grateful for how the experience has taught him to “take study out of the classroom and apply it to life in general” and “develop the confidence to speak with people I’m not close to about anything.” This journey has not only shaped his academic career, but has also prepared him for life’s next steps.

McDermott will be applying to medical schools while working as an EMT in Eau Claire following graduation.

Written by Eve Quick, Honors College Publications Intern and UWEC student.