Matthew Sunthimer

Hello! My name is Matthew Sunthimer and I am pursuing a degree related to engineering and mathematics. Outside of academics, I am driven to empower myself and others through fitness and adventure which is essential to my commitment to the Run the World Adventure Series. The project demonstrates a core value I express in my life; movement with purpose. I would like to share with you a powerful lesson I learned traveling which lead me to discover the values I hope to incorporate into the Office of International Programs and Education Abroad!

Like many others, I have discovered far more than ‘other places’ when I have traveled. While on my various excursions around the USA, backpacking in the mountains of New Mexico, bathing in hot springs in Big Sur of California, and staying in hostels in San Francisco's Chinatown I have been struck by a particular feeling. Excitement that is forgotten in mundane life is often rediscovered in foreign places. Expectations of the world seem to dissolve into a state of concentration and curiosity as unfamiliar places demand daily routine be suddenly handled with delicacy and attention to detail. I have been reminded of the joy that can be found in the simple things of life like choosing my meals, finding the beauty in a city on an evening stroll, or tapping into the infinite depth that strangers hide within. What I choose to do in life across the country remains the same, how I feel about what I do has taught me a powerful lesson: The connection I had been seeking away from home was found within. During my greatest personal struggles, I simply remind myself that every aspect of life is beautiful and new and that it is up to me--and only me--to meet each challenge time and time again. I choose to run not just to get to the end of the race but to embrace the feeling of the wind, the power I feel in the pulse of my heart, the force of my muscles pushing off the ground; I move with the purpose of movement itself, to embrace the pureness of action alone!

My primary role in the Office of International Programs and Education Abroad is to empower you and provide guidance in realizing your path! More so than anything, I am here to encourage you to push further and face challenges better than you ever thought you could. Exploring the world is revitalizing and rewarding but also challenging! I express joy in helping you discover the right path to ensure that the abroad experience you choose fits to your future goals and personal growth. I extend a warm invitation to come visit us here in our office!

“All walks of life appear different, yet all paths converge as an unbounded infinite body.”

-Anonymous