Matthew Paterson '94

Alumnus Matthew Paterson ‘94 thanks Marymount Professors for much of his success in life.  Matthew, who is a Worldwide Purchasing Manager at the technology company Maxim, says that his time at Marymount was “a definitive moment in my life that helped propelled me from uncertainty in what I could accomplish, to focusing on what I wanted to accomplish.”

Based out of Silicon Valley, Matthew has more than 14 years experience in the semiconductor industry, which provides technological services to a wide range of fields including aerospace, medical and energy. For the fiscal 2011 year, Maxim reported revenue of approximately $2.5 billion.

Even though he works in a very technical field and has a degree in computer science, Matthews says that it was his Liberal Arts degree from Marymount that he treasures the most. “The subjects of humanities and liberal arts are what allowed me to excel not only in technology and business but also in my life,” he says.

Matthew is very proud to have graduated from Marymount and wants the success of the school to benefit students today. “Really all of the teachers at Marymount played a role in my growing up. And the students I met during those years became lifelong friends and most of us still keep in touch today,” he says.

“Take every course that interests you, even those courses that may not interest you or may not be on your overall agenda (for your future degree for instance). Expose yourself to everything humanly possible while there at Marymount and develop yourself in every way imaginable.

Matthew’s recommendation to current students is to expose themselves to everything they can while at Marymount. “Don't just focus on the big picture of degrees, but instead take a variety of subjects that will allow you to develop areas within yourself that you were not aware existed. I promise that the more developed and well-versed you are in the humanities and liberal arts, the more of a contribution you will make to everything you create and inhabit: your future family, kids, job and yourself,” he says.