Christopher Matthews and Jessica (Zodnik) Matthews - Class of 2005-06
When I began as a student at Walsh University, I didn't necessarily expect to meet the woman I'd someday marry. And I certainly didn't expect that woman to be the first female student I met on campus. Yet, there she was. Jessi sat directly in front of me in my very first class. She and I both lived in the freshman dorms and got to know each other during our freshman year at Walsh.
A Cuyahoga Falls native, Jessi applied to Walsh at the suggestion of a member of her church. She was offered a full academic scholarship and a spot in the honors program. Jessi was a cheerleader at Walsh and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
I was familiar with Walsh because my father, John Matthews, graduated from the University as a non-traditional student about 15 years ago, taking night classes to finish a degree he started in the 1970s. He seemed to like it, so I applied and was also offered an academic scholarship and a spot in the honors program.
During my time at Walsh as a Corporate Communications major, I was involved with the student newspaper, The Walsh University Spectator. Aside from meeting Jessi, my favorite Walsh memory was attending the National Honors Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was awesome.
I really enjoyed the small class sizes and the flexibility of the professors. I worked at G.E. while studying at Walsh, and when I received a promotion, most of my professors allowed me to meet with them individually to earn the credit hours for that semester. I ended up finishing my degree by attending the School for Professional Studies (SPS). This allowed me to complete my degree while I continued working a full-time job. I was really impressed with my advisor, the SPS professors and the head of the SPS program, Gary Tschantz.
Jessi and I aren't the only Walsh alumni in our families. She has a cousin who is currently a student, as is my brother. In addition to my dad, I have an uncle, an aunt and a cousin who all graduated from Walsh.
Christopher and Jessica were married October 13, 2006. He is currently a 1st Lt. in the U.S. Air Force. She is a registered nurse at Akron City Hospital. The couple welcomed their first child, Mallory Kathryn, on December 9, 2009.