“Matthew is recognized by his peers for not only his unique approach to leadership, but also his character,” Gilbert said. “He is being awarded for his commitment to individual leadership and an overarching dedication to community service through the campus and greater region.”
Santer is from Parkersburg, West Virginia, and graduated from Parkersburg High School in 2013. He said he credits his family, fraternity, faculty members at Marshall and fellow students for the achievement. “I am blessed to have a lot of great people in my corner believing in me,” he said.
In his role as president of the Theta Omicron chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, Santer has recruited 17 new members and has been a guiding light for the organization, which was named the Most Improved Student Organization at Marshall in 2017, according to Cedric Gathings, vice president of student affairs at Marshall.
“Matthew is fostering an environment in the chapter that hasn’t been seen in a very long time,” Gathings said. “Through Matthew’s leadership, Alpha Tau Omega has been able to improve their reputation on campus and establish meaningful relationships with the university and the community. ATO has become an organization that the university is proud of.”
In addition to the Outstanding Leadership Award, Santer is also the recipient of the 2017 Marshall University IFC Chapter President of the Year. He is a teaching assistant for the chemistry department and a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, and volunteers weekly at Cabell Huntington Hospital. Santer is a 2014 honor graduate from Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia.
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Photo: Marshall University’s Matthew Santer (second from left) accepted the university’s Outstanding Leadership Award in April 2017. Pictured are Cedric Gathings, vice president of Student Affairs; Santer; Dr. Jerome Gilbert, Marshall University president; and Matt James, assistant dean of Student Affairs.