Matt Harmon:
On this episode of Monmouth weekly it's time for something a little different. We've flipped the script as university president Patrick Lehe takes over and becomes our lead host and talks to me. I'm faculty member, Matt Harmon about my experiences at Monmouth and much more without further ado. It's time for episode 24 of our Monmouth weekly podcast. Thanks is always for listening.

Patrick Leahy:
Welcome morning from, uh, west long branch here in Monmouth county. Uh, I'm Patrick Lehe, the president at Monmouth university and typically your guest on Monmouth weekly. But today we have a, uh, special treat for our listeners. We are turning the tables here at Monmouth weekly, and I, the typical guest will serve as the host for today's podcast and I'll invite in our typical host, who is today's featured guest specialist, professor of communications, Dr. Matt Harmon, Matt. Good morning to you,

Matt Harmon:
President Lehe. Good morning. It is, uh, dare I say, it's an honor to be on the show today. I mean, this is, this was certainly your, your brainchild too, at some point flip the script. And, um, I, I'm not sure if I should be concerned for my, my employment moving forward, if you're trying to get yourself back into the classroom. Um, but I, but I'm, but I'm really excited to do this and, and to be quite Frank I'm, I'm pretty honored that you wanted to do it.

Patrick Leahy:
Here's my chance to put you on the spot, Matt. So, uh, let's, let's have some fun over the next 30 minutes. This might be a little bit more personal than normal, uh, and I hope you don't mind. It's an opportunity for our, our loyal listeners to get to know our host, uh, a little bit better. And at the same time, I hope, uh, peak into the world of teaching at Monmouth over the past year or so. So, uh, I think we'll have a, a good, a good episode in store. Um, let me begin Matt with taking us back a year now. I mean, if you think about it, this is our 24th episode together, and it was just about a year ago that we decided to collaborate on this podcast and, and I always say it was your idea. Tell me a little bit about, uh, your thinking there. Well,

Matt Harmon:
Listen, I, I can remember in, um, in, in March of, of 2020, when everything looked like it was getting to a close and it was in that time period, right. Where you weren't sure. Was it gonna be a week? Was it gonna be two weeks? I don't think anybody thought at that point it was gonna be for the remaining part of the semester. At least we, we hoped it wasn't gonna be the remaining part of the semester, but the longer that it seemed like that might be the option, um, to, to, to be quite honest, present Le I, I felt like in my role, I, I was actually, um, you know, teaching broadcasting. It was about to be my busiest time and everything stopped. And, and the idea for mom with weekly was, um, I I'll say selfishly because I was looking for something to do. Um, and, and, and having mama be near and dear to my heart. Um, I, I, I kind of thought like, was there a way to let you, as the, as the university president have a bigger platform and not anything wrong with it, but instead in, instead of sending out, uh, an email, instead of sending out 140 character tweet, was there a way to kind of give people that long form kind of detailed information? So, you know, I remember sending you the email and I, I, I think I probably hesitated before I even hit send, because I was like, oh, I don't know, maybe this isn't the best idea I could be getting myself into something that might not be great, but it, but it's really been, I think, a great way for you to explain your decision making process, some of the guests that we've had on. Um, but, but again, to be quite honest, at the beginning of it, it was more me thinking, how can I help use my voice as a broadcaster? Because at that point, all my broadcasting stuff had shut down. And I felt like there was a little bit of a, a, a hole there that we could fill. And I, I think fortunately enough to say a year later, we've been able to do that

Patrick Leahy:
Well, great service to the, to the university community, uh, for sure. And the fact that we're in our 24th episode, I hope is some evidence that there's some continuing interest, uh, in our conversations. I mean, it all started really as an opportunity to provide real time pandemic updates. And that was sort of our, our, our process there at the beginning, but it's really expanded from there. Hasn't it to a lot, lots of other topics. Tell me a little bit more about how you think the podcast has evolved over the past year.

Matt Harmon:
Well, I think even when we, when you and I first talked about it, um, I, the, the first couple of episodes, you know, now we've come into the, the idea of you do it from either your residents or your office. I do it from either if I'm on campus, that's fine. I mean, the, the first couple, I actually went into one of the radio studios at WMC X and recorded it there before, before literally everything got shut down. I, I, I think I can remember saying like, Hey, if I go to campus, can I drop your name in case anybody says, what are you doing here? Because at that point, I, I was the only person there and it was before we kind of figured out what format are we gonna use? How are we gonna do it? Um, but you know, I, I remember talking to you about, Hey, let's use it for right now as a way to get information out about COVID about the pandemic what's taking place, but, um, in all frankness, it was more of, this might be a really interesting way to continue the conversation post COVID to highlight students, to talk about university updates, to have staff faculty. I mean, I actually feel like, uh, I'm, I'm gonna be a, a marked person on campus now, because this is essentially a new spinoff. This is the faculty spotlight that we might be able to do, um, moving forward. But yeah, I mean, I, I think it's evolved into something that I, that I did envision, which was providing content for the univers in a different format, kind of, um, in old fashioned way, a long form interview type segment, instead of social media, instead of tweets, instead of posts, let's go back to what, you know, in, in, in one way or another media was all about. And that was getting to know people being able to explain information and almost kind of hitting the pause button, instead of saying, read my tweet. Well, now let's listen to my answer and, and let's get into kind of the idea of it, um, a little bit more. So I, I think it to, to be quite Frank, it it's gone exactly in the direction that I would've envisioned.

Patrick Leahy:
So let's use this opportunity to get into it a little bit more. So, you know, the global pandemic hits Monmouth county and you're, uh, like all other faculty members here at Monmouth, you are, uh, forced, I guess, is the term into delivering communications programming online. Tell me a little bit about that transition for you in particular, Matt dating back to last spring at the onset of the pandemic.

Matt Harmon:
So I, I think fortunately for me, fortunate in one way in that I had already had a couple of classes in the last, let's say five, six years that I have had transitioned into hybrid classes. So it wasn't a complete, I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing. What's E campus. How do you log in, you know, like that, that, that part of it, I had already become accustomed to. So some classes were easier to transition into because they were already hybrid classes, then it became a little bit more of a full online class. And, and I'll tell you one of the things that actually did help me in the delivery of the class. And I'm sure at some point, you know, maybe it will be mentioned here on, on this episode, um, chipping away at my doctoral degree, which was an online program. I was used to being a student in that way. So I could almost envision myself as I gave assignments to my classes, how is it gonna come across? Because I was still chipping away at certain things as a student as well. Um, now that's not to say that there weren't some classes that were more challenging. I mean, you know, me, I, I still love 20 years in as a, as a teacher and a faculty person in Monmouth. I still love being in front of students, cuz I feel like that's where, where I'm at my best. Um, talking about things that I still do as a broadcaster on a regular basis and being able to relate to them, um, still. So, so that part became a challenge. Being able to explain projects became maybe a little bit of a challenge and in certain classes where I, I make my students go out and uh, you know, take, take case in point my sports broadcasting, my radio performance class, they go out and cover things well in March, April and may, there was nothing that I could send

Patrick Leahy:
Much to cover, right?

Matt Harmon:
Cause there were no more events. So we had to become a little creative, um, with certain things in, in some ways it became maybe a little less of, of hands on and a little more of analysis of, and, and because there was so much media content taking place, we had plenty of things to look at. Um, and you know what I'll say, this, I, I I'll credit the student population a Monmouth because they were able to make the switch, um, to this online delivery and it, and it wasn't perfect for everybody. And I don't think it still was perfect for everybody, but they were able to transition to it. Um, um, pretty solid where at least now as we do it almost a year later, everybody is, is, is probably on a little bit more solid footing.

Patrick Leahy:
So such an interesting insight. You mentioned that you were in fact, a graduate student chipping away at your doctorate online, and then you were forced as a teacher to become, you know, a, an online professor and what an interesting perspective you had that maybe some of our other faculty members didn't didn't yet have, because they had never taken a course online it, as you pointed out, it has to have helped you relate to the students and the ways in which they had to adjust.

Matt Harmon:
Yeah, I, I think so. And, and, and listen to, to, to be quite honest, I mean, when I started my doctoral degree, um, and, and you and I have joked about it, I mean, it took me 11 years to get it done, but in, in those 11 years, the, the first class I ever took in 2009, it was the fall of 2009. I had just signed up. I could remember getting my acceptance letter in the summer of 2009 from the United States sports academy. And unfortunately in, in October of that year, my dad suffered a, um, unexpected, massive stroke, which he was not able to recover from. And I can remember sitting in his hospital room for that week, doing my first class, like trying to chip away at it. So in, in a world and I, and I feel like that's been a strength of mine for a long time in a world where students are challenged in so many ways anyway, and now on top of it, there's a pandemic. Um, I can relate to my own experience. And, and I, and I say this to this day in my class, like EV everybody has personal things that come up, but the way to probably deal with those is can you communicate them to the person that's overseeing in this particular case, your class? You know, I, I, I can remember going back and forth with the, the Dr. Besman. He was the first faculty person I ever had at U S a and talking to him about, Hey, this is what I'm going through. Couldn't have been more understanding. Um, couldn't have been more sympathetic to, oh my God, I can't believe this is the way you're starting. And I try and take that empathy and still put it into my, my, my classes today. You know, not that you want to put, you know, baby students and pat them on the back because that's not real world, but sometimes life does get in the way, you know, so that, that fall of 2009, my dad winds up passing away. Um, December of that year, I had my third child. So it was like, boom, boom, boom, everything's coming. Um, you know, pretty soon after that, I was able to get a, a, a promotion essentially to become a full-time faculty member at school. So there was a lot going on in, in that first time. And, and, you know, I wouldn't have been able to get through it. Had I not had really good faculty members at the United States sports academy. Yeah.

Patrick Leahy:
And then that's to say nothing of all the other things that fill up your life, which we're gonna get to, uh, in just a minute. So despite your, your facility with online delivery, if I know you, you were anxious to get back into the classroom, to the extent the, the state allowed it, uh, this current academic year. So let let's, let's finish our conversation about the pandemic talking through a little bit. What's your experience been like this academic year? Cuz I think you're, you're, you're teaching at least in a hybrid fashion, if not trying to do as much as possible on campus. Well, what has that been

Matt Harmon:
Like? So, so in the fall, um, of 2020, and now in the spring here of 2021, I have my normal four, four classes. My schedule is essentially what it would normally be and I've made the goal. Um, so I have two classes that meet twice a week and I have two classes that are the longer block that meet once a week. I've tried to make sure that the twice a week classes I see in person at least once a week. Um, and then the, and then the other day will do something online. My once a week classes, I think three out of every four classes we're trying to meet in person. And then we'll usually do one class online. You know, it might not be as scientific as that formula, but essentially that kind of what it, it works out to be. And I, I can't tell you how, um, number one, grateful I am, because I, I know in this world, you know, people are struggling with employment. People are losing their jobs. Um, you know, that, that I still have the benefit of being able to walk into the classroom and do something at a university that I've, I've been at one way or the other since 1993. Um, and, and be able to still give back to the students, um, still do what I love, which is teach, talk about my experiences in, in the field of broadcasting, um, help students with a class, which is still my, my one core class that I teach, whether it's public speaking, but, but still be able to do it in person. And I, and I think the students that are there, I mean, listen, they're, I I'll usually get a couple emails a week. I've come in con contact with somebody. Um, you know, I have a headache this morning. I'm not sure if I should come to class. So we're all dealing with that. But I think the fact that classes are meeting in person on campus has given the students some form of normalcy that they thought going into, this is what it's going to be as a college student, rather than just taking it all online. And it makes them feel comfortable that they're, that they're at least seeing people and having some form of socialization. So, so for me, it it's been awesome to be back in the classroom, um, you know, knock on wood, we, and get through this spring without any more challenges, it looks like the numbers are going in the right direction. Vaccines are, are out there. And, you know, the, the population's starting to be trickled away. I mean, fortunately I I've had the, and I think I've shared this with you. I've had the ability to actually get vaccinated already. Um, so I, I actually feel even more comfortable walking into the classroom than I did even maybe a couple weeks ago.

Patrick Leahy:
So as we, uh, continue this academic year, Matt we've closed down our discussion about the pandemic. You and I have talked, uh, at previous episodes about, uh, silver linings that have emerged from this, uh, awful situation that as you know, has cost, uh, 500,000 American lives in just this past year. What in your, uh, life have been the silver linings of this otherwise terrible public health crisis? Well,

Matt Harmon:
You've done a really good job studying how to ask a tough question. Cause that's, that's, that's a tough question. I mean, you know, so silver linings, I, I, I think to be fair, president Le I just talked about one, um, I I'm still in the classroom. I still have my job. I still have a family that all things considered. My wife is healthy. My three kids are healthy. Um, you know, I, life is still here for everybody. I I'm still able to do some of the things that I love. I mean, you know, from a broadcaster standpoint, come March of last year in 2020, when everything stopped to not have that, which had been such a huge part of my life. And then to get it back in a little bit during the course of the summer, um, you know, be able to, to go to some games in person to broadcast, but then learn quite honestly a whole nother format. I mean, the, the room that I'm sitting in now, when the New York red bulls had an away game, this is where I was broadcasting away games from. So, and I had never done that. Um, you know, 25 years into being a broadcaster. That was something that was brand new for me, that, that now I can take that experience back into the classroom and talk to my students about, but silver linings, I mean, listen, I, I'm talking to you, you're talking to me. We're, we're both still here. We both still have families that are, that are healthy. We both have kids that are growing up. Um, you know, I, I know people that have been infected with coronavirus that have recovered. I, I, I know people that, you know, I, I can't say anyone real close to me has passed away, but I know people that have lost other people and it, and it's heartbreaking. Right. But, but, but we're doing the best we can. We're trying to get through this as a, as a country, as a, as a, as a world, basically, cuz it's not just located here in the United States, but I, I think every day, if you don't wake up and think to yourself, you have something that you could take a positive into. Um, you know, we we'll have you on a guest and a mom with weekly and we'll put a smile on your face because we'll be able to figure something out for you. So there are silver linings out there. I'm, I'm blessed with a great family, a great wife, great kids. Um, and, and quite honestly still great jobs that I, that I am involved with.

Patrick Leahy:
Well said, Matt, uh, I'm Patrick Lehe, the president at Monmouth university serving today as you're host of Monmouth weekly. And our guest is our normal host, Dr. Matt Harmon. I want to talk when our remaining time, Matt, a little bit more about, uh, all those other things in which, uh, you are involved. Let me start though, by asking you, uh, where exactly are you from? Tell me a little bit about growing up here in, in Jersey at the Jersey shore

Matt Harmon:
From the same place that I still reside in, ironically, uh, born in, born in wall, New Jersey, uh, essentially raised in wall, New Jersey and still live in wall, New Jersey. Um, you know, it, it's kind of funny. I mean, when I was growing up, um, much like, you know, a, a lot of our students do and people deal with every day. My parents, when I was young, um, had decided that they, they were gonna get divorced. So I actually, I lived in, um, Northern New Jersey in, in a town called Whippany, which is close to Morristown for a couple years, then moved back down here with my dad. Um, and, and essentially I've never left. Um, I, you know, I spent one semester, my first semester in college, I went to a small school in Redding, Pennsylvania, Albright college, and just decided it wasn't for me. And at that particular time, Monmouth had started up football and I was still playing. Um, so came back home the second semester of my freshman year. And, you know, Monmouth has never figured out a way to get rid of me <laugh> um, but, but always being a, always being a Jersey shore kid at heart, um, and you know, you and you and I have talked a little bit about how amazing this area is. You know, I mean, New Jersey definitely gets I a little bit of a bad rap, but I mean, I'm, you know, I, I can look out and if I open my window on the right day, I can smell the ocean. I'm, I'm less than a mile, almost like where Monmouth is here in wall. I'm less than a mile from the beach. The house that I currently own and live in ironically enough was a, uh, has been in my family for years. This was my great grandparents' summer house, um, which has stayed in my family forever. And, and 20 years ago, essentially, I bought it from my grandmother and I've been able to raise my family here and, and have a great life. And again, you know, a fantastic wife, who's been super supportive of everything that I get involved with, but I'm, I'm a, I'm a Jersey shore kid at heart and I'm, and I'm still here and still love the area.

Patrick Leahy:
So I didn't realize you had that short stint at Albright college, which I know well from my days in, in Pennsylvania, but tell me how you found your way to mammoth and how in, I think you said 1993, that was, that began a lifelong love affair with this place. Tell me, tell me how you found your way here and, um, how you've stayed connected in all the different ways that you have all those years.

Matt Harmon:
Yeah. So, so fall of 1992, um, I, I like probably a lot of kids at, at the age of 18. I'm, I'm struggling a little bit with having, um, a little bit of anxiety, to be honest with you about leaving, where I've become so comfortable, um, and going, going to school, you know, fortunately at that time, my, my, my best friend, who's a, uh, distant cousin of mine. He was going to Albright as well and playing football. We actually roomed together my first year, but, um, when I went to Albright, it was a good experience for me, but I, I didn't, I didn't love the area. I didn't love re Pennsylvania. Um, not having, not being able to, at least if I wanted to take a drive to the beach and stick my feet in the sand and see the water, not having that, uh, availability and capability. I, I, I missed it. So I, I made the decision probably, um, a couple of months in, by, by November. I knew I wasn't gonna stay, you know, and, and at that time, mammoth had announced that they were gonna have a football program and, and probably within November, December of that year, I had had my first conversations with somebody to this day. I would still consider one of the best people I've ever encountered, not just professionally, but personally as well. And that's coach Callahan. Um, who's still at Monmouth and saying like, Hey coach, this is Matt Harmon. I, I went to wall high school. Here's my, um, I mean, gosh, think of the times right here, here's my VCR tape of some highlights <laugh> of playing I'd love, I'd love to come home and be part of the first football team. Um, so I made that decision applied at Monmouth, got in, um, started my classes in the, in the spring semester of 1993, uh, was there for the first football team, which, you know, if there's one regret, I would say that I've had in any of my time in Monmouth, I spent my first year pre pretty hurt and banged up just from an injury that I had suffered. And then that next year, which would've been year two of mama football, I, I just couldn't do it anymore. I had a pretty significant back injury. So I had stepped away from the game, but then fell in love with what I still do today, which is the broadcast side of it got involved with WM C, X, uh, got involved with the outlook, which are still organizations that are near and dear to my heart, our, our student radio station and our student newspaper. So in a way, it it's all worked out. And, you know, I mean, I, I, I would be lying if I said I didn't have tears in my eyes a little bit last year when mammoth won the big south championship. And I was there calling that game. And when we beat holy cross in the playoffs and, and even lost at JMU, and it was like, oh my God. You know, even though I, I, wasn't a huge part as a player, I was still part of it in 1993 and, and still have a, a, a deep love and affiliation with the football program and, and, and the university to today. And, and, you know, there's, there's so many little stories not to give such a long answer. Um, you know, like contacting professor Everett, rich, who was my mentor at Monmouth. He's no longer there he's retired, but reaching back out to him after I had graduated in 1996 with my bachelor's degree and saying, Hey, I would love to come back and teach. Cuz my father was a teacher, not at the college level, but my father was a teacher. And I was like, you know, if there was one thing that was missing in the curriculum, there was a sports broadcasting class. We didn't offer it. I would love to come back and teach it. And he helped me push it through. And I taught my first class at Monmouth in 1999, thinking at 25, I knew everything there was to know about it. And you know, fortunately now 22 years later, I'm still teaching sports broadcasting, which was the first class I ever created. And I still have it today.

Patrick Leahy:
So again, I didn't realize that, um, you know, your, your playing career got cut short because of injuries, but you wanted to stay around the game so much that you started, uh, broadcasting, uh, games and you discovered a career in the process and you've been a, uh, an active broadcaster pretty much through the years, haven't you?

Matt Harmon:
Yeah. I mean, not

Patrick Leahy:
Only here, but, but other places too. Tell me about your experience here as a broadcaster and, and the other broadcast opportunities you have.

Matt Harmon:
Yeah. So, so after I, I, I was unable to play anymore. Um, I think I, I like any other player probably does. Um, it wasn't the way that I had wanted to go out and, you know, listen, I, I wasn't this incredible player, but I, I, I, I think I could have contributed, but just couldn't get myself and keep myself healthy. And probably that first year, um, after not playing, which would've been 94, probably went through a little bit of just down in the dumps. Like, can't believe I'm not involved with this anymore, but during that academic year just realized, man, I, I missed just being around sports, whatever it is. And I think before I even started with WMC X, I think I started with the outlook first and started writing some articles then, you know, got involved with the radio station. Um, uh, you know, my, my last year I had an amazing internship at WFAN, which is still the, you know, biggest sports radio station ever. That was the first year that mammoth made the NCAA tournament, um, called, called that first game on WM CX, which was an incredible experience. And then, you know, I, I think right now, I, I would sum up my, my career in so many different ways. I spent 20 years as a part-time broadcaster in, in New York city working for some of the biggest news stations doing sports updates, 10, 10 wins, CBS Bloomberg, um, w ABC at the time, but still do local last night, I was at a high school basketball game, um, in Tom's river, working with the shore sports network, which in, in, in many different ways, I mean, the, the name of the company has changed a lot of different because that's just the way that the media world works. But I I've worked with my partner, Kevin Williams. I've worked with him for over 20 years and he and I still enjoy working together. Um, you know, is, is it the same as walking into a PAC stadium at Monmouth? No. Is it the same at traveling with the New York red bulls to different parts of the world? I mean, I've been to central America. I've been to Mexico. I've been to the Caribbean with the team. No, but it, but it's still what I love to do. So I think I'm really blessed. I mean, I, I call high school games. I call college games, I call professional games and I can, and I can talk about it and teach about it. So it all really works together. Plus, you know, some of the other things that I am involved with, um, that, that keep me really busy, but busy to a point that I still love everything I do almost every day.

Patrick Leahy:
What value, uh, for our students to have a, a broadcaster who's working at those different levels, uh, teaching them. Um, so you cover Matt basketball, football, soccer, who knows, what else? If I made you answer the following question, how would you answer it? What is your favorite sport?

Matt Harmon:
My, my, you know, it's so funny. My kids ask me that question all the time and I, and I give them a cop out dad answer. And I, and I know you have your kids and, and you and I have had some great conversations about how just amazing it is to be a father, right. So I always give them the answer of my favorite sport is whatever thing my kids are involved with. And whenever I can go watch them do whatever it is they're, they're still involved with to this day. That would be my answer. But, um, you know, from a broadcasting standpoint, I mean, I, I have had an incredible amount of experiences of which, um, I, I hope I continue to still have, I mean, I've met so many great people along the way. I I've been fortunate enough to win the New Jersey sportscaster of the year four times. Um, and in that, you know, opening some doors to, to feel like I'm, I'm, I'm pretty well respected in the organization, um, of, of just being a broadcaster. But I mean, I still love walking into mama stadium and calling a football game. You know, I, I, I, I enjoy that so much. And, and again, this past year really was, was a amazing ride and, and emotional for everyone who's been around the football program for as long as I have been. Um, but then on the same respect, you know, being able to be one of, I think major league soccer now is up to 20 teams to be one of 26 broadcasters in the entire country that have the opportunity to call professional soccer on the radio. I mean, you know, pinch me every once in a while to realize that this is what I, this is what I love still to this day, and I'm still doing it. Um, but, but there's nothing better than still being able to watch my kids, um, on, on the athletic field.

Patrick Leahy:
So let me, uh, close down our conversation about, uh, broadcasting, uh, in just our remaining couple minutes with this question, uh, Matt choose one. This is a multiple choice question. Who is the best Monmouth university broadcaster, a Eddie, a CAPTE B Steve Beza C Matt Harmon, or D none of the above

Matt Harmon:
<laugh> well, I'm, I'm gonna, I'm gonna tell you right now, I'm gonna, I'm gonna absolutely throw out answers a and B they're like the, they're the questions on the test that you give to the students thinking these are throwaways, so you're gonna, you're gonna, you're gonna then, um, you're gonna eliminate half of the answers, so scratch off a and B and, and I mean, you and I are actually doing this a little different way today. The program that we use is updated. So we have the video, um, that you and I can at least see each other. We're not, we're not doing that from a release standpoint, but I have a huge smile on my face. Those guys are dear, dear friends, and I still consider myself lucky to work with them. Um, as often as I do saying that I had both of them as students, so I have to completely eliminate them because they still don't listen to things that I tell them that they need to do this day. Um, we, we've been really fortunate to have a lot of good broadcasters walk through the, the door and the hallways of WMC X, but, you know, for, for someone who is usually pretty humble, um, my, my, my favorite, you know, one of my kids is Cooper. So I love that letter C so I, I kind of feel like C is probably the answer. I mean, when, when, when you don't know the answer to the question, isn't it, most people that probably pick C I mean, I can remember, you know, movies, there's a, there's a movie that's pretty funny. And I can remember somebody, uh, I think it was, it was summer school with Mark Harmon, which people to this day, call me Mark Harmon. They just think, oh, Hey mark, Carmen,

Patrick Leahy:
There are worse people to be confused with

Matt Harmon:
In, in one of the scenes of the movie summer school, one of his students is taking a test and he is just circling C all the way down, cuz he doesn't know the answer. So I'm gonna, I'm gonna say that in your question, there's a little debate that probably could take place, might be a good thing for mama to do a poll on, but I'm gonna say probably stay.

Patrick Leahy:
Um, Matt, let's close out our conversation, uh, here with, uh, some final thoughts. I mean, one of the things that, uh, makes me so proud to be the president at Monmouth is, uh, the strength of our faculty and the incredible work that they're doing. Not only here at Monmouth, but out in the community. And they're doing all that by raising families and tending to other, other, uh, uh, personal interests. You know, we didn't even get a chance to talk about the fact, as you pointed out that you are a father of three sons, you teach four classes a year here at Monmouth, you do the broadcasting that we did have a chance to talk about. Um, I understand that you're in the restaurant business, that in the summers you work at the shore and the winters you work on the mountains. Just tell me about how you manage, uh, that incredibly rich life that, uh, you are leading.

Matt Harmon:
So I, I actually loved how you just phrased that incredibly rich life because, um, you know, a as recently as this weekend, I, I work on the national ski patrol and, you know, feel blessed that we have a, um, a house in, in new England that we've had in, in my family for a really long time. And, you know, as, as much as I enjoy broadcasting teaching, there is the element of being a lifeguard here at the Jersey shore. I, I, I work in, in Seagart, um, for over 30 years, work on ski patrol for, you know, the, the, the better part of now more than a decade of still being able to help people and give back. And I think that's a, that's a spirit that Monmouth has encompassed in me, um, for a long time, you know, it's, it, it shouldn't just be about you. It should be about what can you give back? And I try and do that in the classroom. I try and do that. You know, I, I still stay to this day in my, in some of my classes from a broadcast standpoint, I still envision myself when I put my headphones on. And my microphone turns on who is listening to me, you know, do I have off days in the classroom? And as a teacher, um, as a broadcaster, absolutely everybody has off days, but at some point you've gotta, you've gotta dig down a little bit and be able to, to say somebody is listening to me to probably escape something that's in their life or for entertainment or for whatever it is. So you, you gotta really make sure that you, you give it to those people. Um, but I, you know, listen, I, I lo I don't do it. I mean, yeah, you have to make a living, but I, but I do what I do because I love all of it. Um, my brother and I have been in business in the, in the restaurant industry, we have a place called the boathouse down in Belmar, um, a place that we opened together in 1998. So we're still open today. And I mean, listen, that's been a huge challenge during this pandemic. The restaurant industry is not where you wanna be right now. And I don't, I don't essentially know what the future is, but I know as of today, when we record this, you and I, in, in late February, our doors are still open and people are still coming in. Um, I ultimately, I don't know what will happen with that, but, but it's been a huge part of my life. Um, it's where I met my wife, believe it or not. Um, so, you know, there's, there's, you should be able to try and find good in everything, even in tough situations that still exist today. But, but all of those little pieces, teaching broadcasting, working on the beach, being on the mountain, um, having the, having the restaurant, they're all little pieces and parts of me that I, I try and teach my kids the lesson of it's it it's okay to work hard. It's okay to be busy. Um, things don't get handed to you in life. You sometimes you have to go out and, and, and figure out your own path. You know, I I've made decisions at certain point in my life to say, you know, no, I'm not gonna move out of New Jersey when I've had the opportunity for different aspects of work, because this is where my, this is where my family is. This is where I want to be. Um, and you know, fortunately enough at the age of 47, I, I I've been able to piece it together enough to have a really good life.

Patrick Leahy:
Well, we're certainly glad to have you here in New Jersey and, uh, more specifically here at Monmouth university. Uh, Matt, thank you for, uh, your candor in this episode. Thank you for your insights into teaching during this, uh, really challenging time and just thank you for all the different ways that you contribute, uh, to Monmouth university.

Matt Harmon:
I, I, I, I wholeheartedly, I, I really appreciate you doing this. It's, it's nice to be able to talk openly and, and really, and I try and do it in the classroom express, how important Monmouth has been to me. Um, again, having been there since 19 93, 1 way or the other, got my master's there taught one class, taught two classes now, full time. Um, you know, it's, it's an amazing, amazing place, um, that I, I, I can't wait to see quite honestly what you do in the next couple years to, to turn us out of this pandemic and the COVID situation and, and where we're going. Um, this, this was a lot of fun. I, I I'll credit you 23 episodes in, you took the reins for the 24th. You, you you've got it figured out. You've Got it, figure it out.

Patrick Leahy:
Well, this has been a special episode of Monmouth weekly, but I'm going back to my normal seat, uh, as the, uh, lead guest next time we're together. And I'll turn the program back over to, uh, to Dr. Matt Harmon, who, uh, who brainchild this whole podcast was whose, uh, sustaining energy, keeps it, uh, alive here, 24 episodes in, and, uh, Matt, I look forward to collaborating with you, uh, for 24 more episodes, uh, and beyond, uh, that's it for Monmouth weekly this time around, uh, look at, uh, look us up, uh, online. It'll be posted shortly for, uh, your listening pleasure. And, uh, we'll be back with you, uh, hopefully in two weeks time with our next episode until then I'm Patrick Lehe. He's Matt Harmon, all the very best.