Student Profiles

Matt Bries

Classification: Senior

Major: Human Resources Management

Hometown: New Vienna, Iowa

Why did you choose UNI?

The great reputation of UNI’s College of Business got me to check the university out and go on a couple of tours. The people, once I came, are what made me fall in love with UNI. All of the students, professors, advisers and staff were incredibly friendly and willing to help me with anything that I needed. The people that attend or work at this university are some of the best people that I’ve ever met.

What's the best thing about attending UNI?

It would take days for me to describe all of the great things about UNI, but if I would have to pick one it would definitely be the atmosphere. I cannot speak highly enough about all of the amazing people that work and go to school here. There is a feeling of real unity when you talk to students, alumni, faculty and staff. The people who are affiliated with this university are passionate people who have life-long desires that create a truly inspiring atmosphere.

How has the Honors Program at UNI helped you? What do you like best about the program?

UNI’s Honors Program has developed within me a true respect for academics, learning and friendship. The classes that I have taken within the honors program have helped me grow academically and have fostered a greater appreciation for diverse learning. The classes are an important portion of the program, but definitely not the only piece. The Honors Program works incredibly hard at connecting people, and it has done an incredible job because many of the people that I have met through the program will be life-long friends of mine. The best thing about UNI’s Honors Program is the amount of opportunities that it has presented me. There are always more ways to grow and get involved; the Honor’s Program has continuously pointed me in the direction of those opportunities.

What kind of on-campus organizations/activities are you involved in? How does that involvement enrich your overall college experience?

I have been involved with the honors fraternity, Phi Eta Sigma, as a social chair. I stay very involved with St. Stephen’s Catholic Student Center as a member of the Discipleship Council and a leader of the Antioch retreat. I am also very involved in with Student Admissions Ambassadors (SAA). Being involved in on-campus organizations has been a vital portion of my collegiate career. There are so many great organizations that have countless opportunities at UNI; it was my goal to take advantage of as many of those opportunities as I could before I graduate. I have met some of my best friends and greatest mentors through on-campus organizations here at UNI; they have given me some of my fondest memories in college.

Share a memorable experience of UNI—whether it's the funniest, most embarrassing, profound, etc.

My junior year we had a phenomenal football team, and sold out the vast majority of the home games. On Family Weekend I was sitting near the top of the UNI-Dome with my family watching the game when I looked down and really took in the atmosphere. There were people packed into every nook and cranny of the Dome and they were all wearing purple and gold. I couldn’t hear a thing due to the deafening cheers, but it was at that point I realized how much I love this university and the passion that it encompasses.

Share a description of your most memorable experience as a Presidential Scholar.

Hands down, my most memorable experience as a Presidential Scholar was Think Tank. My sophomore year the group of scholars split into two teams and was presented with the goal of completing a service project. Team New Beginnings (my team) chose to have high school art students paint a mural designed by a UNI art student in downtown Waterloo. Through the planning and implementation of this amazing experience I connected with some of my best friends while gaining real-world leadership skills that I have spoken about in every interview since then, and that I will use throughout the rest of my life.