About Matthew
I'm a nature loving, cheerful, and problem solving individual with a desire to change lives for the better. Ever since I was 14 with my paracord keychain and eBay reselling business, I've been passionate about marketing and helping small to medium sized organizations grow in our area.
My aim is to pair both my analytical and creative abilities to help businesses create meaningful change in the East TN region.
Education:
Before transferring to UTK, I obtained my Associate's from Pellissippi State Community College in Business Administration. Now at UTK, I've been studying marketing with a concentration in business analytics to further develop my expertise in business and marketing.
Awards & Nominations:
I've been honored to receive the 2021 Outstanding Student Leadership Award while at Pellissippi State in addition to being one of the two recipients for the 2023-2024 Outstanding Marketing Students of the Year Award from the UTK American Marketing Association.
Tim Zoppa, Director, Digital Customer Solutiuons and Logistics at Kimberly-Clark
"Matthew is a highly accountable, self-aware, and performance oriented young man! Hire him if you get the chance!"
John Murray, District Human Resources Specialist at Kroger
"Matthew is capable, team-oriented, and results driven... Matthew would be a great addition to any group looking to develop talent."
George Drinnon, Assistant Dean, Haslam College of Business
"Matthew displays exceptional academic aptitude and performance... He carries himself very well."
Constantly Learning
Certifications & Coursework
Photoshop 2023 Essential Training:
I received the 2023 Photoshop Certification from LinkedIn. This 13 hour Photoshop training course provided key knowledge in creating vivid visual designs and editing photos for company materials. You can view the certification here.
Google Analytics Certification:
I received a certification from the Google Skillshop for the 2024 Google Analytics Training course. The training provided key insight into effective website reporting with the latest Google Analytics 4 platform. I look forward to applying what I know to help companies improve their website performance and meet their business goals.
R Programming Coursework:
Taking courses in regression, data mining, and currently time series, I have learned so much about business analytics, such as from creating reports and web applications, learning the principles behind making data-driven decisions.
AMA Knoxville
While at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, I have been involved in three AMAze Groups with the American Marketing Association.
AMAze has been a life changing experience for me. Working on projects with Weigel's and Saint Mary's Legacy Clinic and even co-leading a group for the Widowed Parent Relief Project have taught me so much about project management and leadership.
Storyteller
Creating stories that resonate is a unique gift of mine. Pairing my love for written communication with creating visuals, whether that is video, photography, or design, are some of my areas of expertise.
Video:
Empathizing with others and sharing unique moments in life is something that I have done through video work for organizations, including iXsystems and the Widowed Parent Relief project. I am gifted in telling stories through interviews and product videos.
Photography
I love photography because of the chance to capture the stories around us, whether that is of a product or nature. Pictures can pack a thousand words, and I believe that strong visuals is crucial for creating an impactful marketing campaign.
Design
Being familiar with design tools like Canva and Photoshop through my visual marketing course has helped me to take strong visuals to the next level through effective design for print and digital.
Eager to Grow
My goal is to pair my love of marketing, including my understanding of communication and design, with my understanding of business analytics. I believe that both areas combine my problem solving and communication skills, helping organizations make informed decisions and market their products and services in a human-centered way.
Five years from now, I hope to continue developing my skills in marketing and grow as a leader, making a positive impact in the community and in other peoples' lives.