Matt Bodo, Housing Advocate, to be Commencement Speaker

Foothill College students can achieve anything that they want to when supported by others. After a few rough quarters, Matt Bodo wasn’t sure if he was fit for college. He now plans to transfer to UCLA to major in linguistics and psychology. 

“I didn’t expect to attend college when I finished high school. I didn’t think that I would get my GED,” Bodo said. “One of the faculty at the Adult Education Center convinced me to go to Foothill, and I figured I would try.” 

Bodo didn’t immediately succeed in college. His first quarter’s GPA was a 0.0. During his second year, he became homeless. This led him to discover the college’s support services. With the right resources, Bodo flourished and became an incredibly active student. 

“I really didn’t think I could do it,” Bodo said. “But I didn’t want to give up.” 

Bodo has been a part of Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), the Associated Students of Foothill College (ASFC), and has spent countless hours working to support homeless community college students. 

He still finds himself shocked at where he’s ended up. “I couldn’t have ever pictured myself in the position I’m in today, and I know that I’ve become the person I want to be,” he said. 

Bodo hopes to inspire students experiencing homelessness to succeed. He thanks EOPS, ASFC and Foothill’s faculty and staff for the guidance and support that helped him so much.