Learning doesn't stop once you leave the classroom

Someday, Matt Zinter hopes to be a pediatric oncologist. In the meantime, he finds other ways to offer care and encouragement to people who need it most. A tireless volunteer, Matt has devoted countless hours to community service since entering Arts & Sciences.

Diagnosed at age three with a rare, life-threatening illness, Matt was too young to grasp the seriousness of his diagnosis. But he will never forget the fear and sadness that seemed to shadow his family as he embarked on the months of treatments that would ultimately rid him of the disease.

Today, the biology major reflects on how his experiences with serious illness have made him more empathetic toward others. Matt understands how it feels to be sick, scared and hopeless. He also knows firsthand why a doctor must address more than just the clinical aspects of an illness that can affect one’s family, social network and even one’s sense of identity. It’s that empathy that has led him to choose a career in medicine.

Matt found his “if you can dream it, you can do it” attitude exemplified by Arts & Sciences at Washington University. He had just come off an interview at another college where they were quick to point out the dismal odds of getting into medical school. At Washington University, the interviewer applauded Matt’s career choice and immediately proposed ways Arts & Sciences could help him achieve his goal. Matt felt an instant connection and knew there would be a support system in place to help him succeed and offer him opportunities to make his university experience exactly what he wanted.

He felt that connection again when he arrived on campus and his Relay for Life t-shirt caught the attention of the Director of the Community Service Office. She introduced him to the Leadership Through Service program, where he has since volunteered at the Social Justice Center, co-created Project Good Days (a support program for children with chronic illnesses) and co-chaired the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. His internships include a stint with the Wellston Summer School Program, as well as working with refugees and immigrants at the International Institute of St. Louis. On top of all that, he still devotes time to the web-based global support network he co-created for youth with serious illnesses.

According to Matt, whether a student wishes to start an inner-city chess club for kids, or to volunteer in South America, the University is always eager to help pave the way. As a result, he insists at least half of what he has learned at college—leadership, organizational skills—has been outside the classroom.