Growing up on his family’s farm, Matthew Bowen has always known he wanted to be a Dawg.  Fast forward to today, and his dreams are becoming a reality as he pursues his engineering degree so that he can be a problem-solver in the fields of agricultural machinery design and precision agricultural technology.  Here he tells us how being the benefactor of private philanthropy has helped shape his education and his future.

How did you choose UGA?

“Ever since I was a small child, I knew I wanted to be a Dawg.  Both of my parents attended UGA, and I remember seeing their diplomas hanging on the wall with the arch on it and thinking ‘I want one of those.'”

What led you to choose engineering?

“My passions and desire to solve problems inevitably led me to choose engineering.  Growing up, I did not have any engineers in my family, nor did I know what engineers did.  However, I had the privilege of operating a lot machinery on our family farm.  This love for all aspects of machinery, nuts, bolts, belts, gears, shafts is how my love for engineering began.”

Who or what has inspired you in your educational journey?

“I credit my success first and foremost to the unwavering support my parents have supplied throughout my college career.  They always encouraged me to challenge myself and to follow my dreams.  I also have been constantly inspired by older students in the ASABE student chapter.  These amazing students took me under their wing my first semester at UGA and made my experience here so much better.  Now, as an older student, I find much value in being able to do this for younger students.”

“The workload is often very intense.  However, you learn a lot about yourself when you are pushed to your absolute extremes.”

What has been the most challenging aspect of being an engineering student?  What do you enjoy most about it?

“The most challenging aspects of engineering often are the most enjoyable.  After melting your brain for hours over a single homework problem, the satisfaction of finally solving it is immense.  The workload is often very intense.  However, you learn a lot about yourself when you are pushed to your absolute extremes.  What I love the most about UGA engineering is the culture surrounding the design and creation of things.  I love being surrounded by students building cool, tangible things.”

You have been the recipient of the David Green Clements Scholarship, the Georgia Section ASABE Scholarship, and the Arnton Clegg Agricultural Engineering Award for Academic Excellence.  How has receiving these awards shaped your view of philanthropy?

“The generosity and investment that donors have made into students’ success has shown me the importance of giving back.  I hope to one day be able to give back to UGA engineering monetarily.”

How has receiving these awards impacted you in your education and decisions on your career?

“The most noticeable effect of these awards has been allowing me to not have to work a job while completing my degree.  I have been able to use this time in design projects, club leadership, professional development, and mentorship to younger students.  I am also very thankful that with support received from scholarships like these and Zell Miller, I will be able to graduate with no student debt.  I would not have even considered the possibility of attending graduate school if I had graduated with student debt and would have elected to go into my career earlier.”

“Your support is appreciated.  Your support inspires hope.  Your support creates leaders and engineers that WILL change the world for the better.”

If you could say one thing to private donors to the college, what would it be?

“Your support is appreciated.  Your support inspires hope.  Your support creates leaders and engineers that WILL change the world for the better.”

What are your plans after graduation?  How do you plan to use your engineering education to help solve the world’s grand challenges?

“I’ll be attending graduate school here at UGA, but I haven’t fully determined which professor and area of research I will be pursuing.  Generally, I want to focus on becoming the best engineer I can be.  I hope that graduate school will provide me with a learned mindset of research in a way that I can more easily synthesize complex issues in the engineering workplace.  I would like to enter a career involving agricultural machinery design and/or precision agricultural technologies after graduation.”