Matt Lewis

I proposed and she said yes! As nervous as I was about asking my girlfriend of three years to marry me, I was more nervous about asking her parents for permission first. They approved, but asked what my intentions were –a tough question considering I’m just staring out and she hasn’t finished school yet. I had moved back to Phoenix after graduating and started working. It wasn’t long though before I started missing Caitlin and planning a way to be closer to her. I did eventually move back to the Old Pueblo and we expanded our little family by adopting a stray Australian-Shepherd mix puppy (named Shadow) – which leaves me outnumbered three women to one man. We also have a dwarf rabbit named Bon Bon.

After graduating from theUniversity of Arizonain the spring of 2010 and receiving aB.A.injournalismand a minor ingeography, I worked for a daily newspaper covering central Arizona –The Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, Inc.– for a year. It was during my time at the local newspaper chain that I developed an interest in covering the education beat or work in education and do freelance journalism on the side. I decided to go back to school. After taking some pre-requisites for a masters program, I expect to complete a one-year-fast-trackMastersdegree through the UA’sGraduate College of Educationby Spring 2013. During my time at the UA, I tutored and mentored students as an Einstein Protégéfor a general education course. I also supervised and taught students with learning challenges ata charter school in Tempe, Ariz. As an undergraduate and alumnus I served as a counselor and lead mentor for theDow Jones Diversity in Journalism Workshop for Arizona High School Studentsfor four years. The workshop is held during the summer and has high school students spend a week putting together a news product (both print and on-line editions) with the guidance of UA alumni, students and faculty. The workshop was where I developed apassionfor education.

Most recently I served as the Co-Secretary for theUA – Phoenix Chapter Young Alumni Club. For any of my peers who have graduated or plan to, I strongly advise you to consider joining your alumni association – THEY ARE GREAT FOR NETWORKING AND HAVING FUN! :)

Check out my most recent freelance story at:Jan. 8 gave student leader new perspective