Matthews '12 Awarded Fulbright Grant to Study in Liverpool

George Matthews '12, of Westwood, Mass., has been awarded a Fulbright grant to study in the U.K. next year. In September, Matthews, a classics major with a self-designed minor in legal studies, will begin classes at the University of Liverpool, where he will participate in a one-year master's program in classics.

In addition to his studies, Matthews plans on assisting the university’s classics department with research. Specifically, he will contribute to the ongoing work of Professor Bruce Gibson pertaining to Latin literature of the early Empire. With aspirations to become a professor of classics, Matthews anticipates learning from the pedagogies of his professors as well as the material.

Matthews hopes that this opportunity to study on a Fulbright grant will develop his aptitude for Latin and ancient Greek, advance his research techniques and afford him the opportunity to engage in the Liverpool community.

"Liverpool is a city that has long fascinated me as a center of cultural exchange," says Matthews, "so the opportunity to study there on a Fulbright grant seems particularly appropriate."

At Holy Cross, Matthews serves as president of the Holy Cross chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, the national honorary collegiate society for students of Latin and Greek. He also works for the classics department as a tutor in Latin and ancient Greek. Matthews is a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, the honor society of Jesuit colleges and universities; a co-editor of a section in Holy Cross’ student newspaper, The Crusader; a senior interviewer with the college Admissions department; and is active in both intramural soccer and softball.

Matthews is the current holder of the Reverend William FitzGerald, S.J. Merit Scholarship, given to a "talented, ambitious and hardworking" student at Holy Cross majoring in classics.

Each year approximately 1,000 college students are awarded grants through the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship program in international educational exchange. Fulbright grants are made to U.S. citizens and nationals of other countries for a variety of educational activities, primarily university lecturing, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools. Since the program’s inception in 1946, more than 300,000 participants — chosen for their leadership potential — have had the opportunity to observe each other’s political, economic and cultural institutions.

Read about this year’s other Holy Cross Fulbright Grant recipients: Joseph Cavanaugh '12, Mattea Cumoletti '12, Caroline Galiatsos '12, Daniel Geiger '11, Eliza Gettel '12, Heidi Grek '12, Maria Jaroszewicz '12, Jaeyeon Lee ’12, Courtney Lesoon '12 and Peter Renehan '12.