Matthew Wrather ‘25 recalls growing up in Powell, Ohio where adverse circumstances are not the norm. “It’s definitely a wealthier area, you don’t see a lot of kids go through poverty,” said Wrather. Fast forward to now, he is being recognized for his commitment to service to his community.
Wrather has completed over 260 community service hours, earning him a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. He was one of 22 football players in the world chosen for this honor.
Being on the team allowed him to go to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, where he met notable former NFL players like Tim Tebow. He work with Son of Saint, a nonprofit organization with a focus on bringing support to fatherless young men, helped him achieve this accolade.
“We interacted with them telling them our experience, how we got to the position we’re in today. Then taking them through various activities like smoothie making.”
Wrather continued, “We were able to let the kids know that they’re being supported.”
In addition to the work that he has done, it’s important to note faith’s role in his service. His faith pushes him to be the best holistic person he can be. He sees the commitment it takes to become your best self as continuous.
“There was a trend amongst every man that was in the room with me on the Good Works Team. Everyone lives a faith-filled life following God, following in his footsteps. Everyone just strives to be [the] best version of themselves. As well as making sure that other people are trying to become the version of themselves as well,” said Wrather.
Furthermore, he appreciates the insight on perspective that he has gotten from other service opportunities. He touched on this while talking about his experiences with The Carroll Ballers, an organization where students from John Carroll play basketball with kids in the Cuyahoga Juvenile Detention Center.
“Seeing what other people go through, that was kind of eye-opening to me. That really hit me hard,” said Wrather.
Although he has been involved with so many different kinds of service, Wrather is still seeking ways to get involved after graduation, and hopes to be able to advocate for Division III sports through a nonprofit foundation. He wants to be remembered as someone who left an impact on others and made JCU a better place.
“Definitely something staying around the football family, volunteering my time at local schools, stuff like that. Simply I want it to be a better place than when I came here. I hope that once I’ve graduated I can still leave a mark no matter how big or how small on John Carroll’s campus,” said Wrather.
