Monday, July 11, 2016

Making a Difference: Matthew Steward

As we learn about community, we have an opportunity to meet some of our community leaders who are making a difference. Last week we were honored to meet Matthew Steward of Steward Speakers Series.
Sgt. Steward with our 6th - 8th grade campers"In grade school (IPS #43) we learned about ourselves, we learned about others in our community as well the world. Teachers would instill in us to be the very, very best we could be.  No excuse was valid; we had to rise above whatever obstacles places in front of us. We had to achieve.”
- Matt Steward


NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY

The phrase “It takes a village” was certainly true in his childhood upbringing in Butler-Tarkington. Neighbors, including the owners of the drugstore and grocery store, kept 
careful watch of activity, and would not hesitate to call the Stewart home with a report. He learned quickly that It was in his best interest to be on his best behavior because somebody was always watching. 


Matthew (top right) with his parents and brothers
When Matthew was ready for high school he had his heart set on attending Shortridge High School, like his six older siblings. However, because of desegregation busing, he was assigned to Broad Ripple High School instead. After his initial disappointment, he found that Broad Ripple was a pretty neat school and enjoyed his four years there. Matthew played freshman football, and he proudly told everyone that he was the quarterback, leaving out the part that he was third string!  His favorite class was U.S. Government. Ms. Martin, who taught History, was his favorite teacher because, “she would always call on me to answer questions.” His least favorite subject was Science.


Matthew participated in Junior Achievement during his Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years in high school. His teammates elected him president of their company three times, and he had the opportunity to attend the Junior Achievement’s National Conference. He credits JA with teaching him how to: save, pitch a story, get people to buy a product, price a product, develop product quality assurance, work as a team player, and how to run a business.

His first job was a paper carrier for the Indianapolis News, which he delivered after school. When the evening paper was discontinued, he delivered the Indianapolis Star in the morning before school. Matthew's mother instilled such a work ethic in him that it was important he made sure the paper was put behind the screen door or in the mailbox and not in the yard where it could get wet and delivered on time. He made about $15 a week and had to put 90% of his earnings into his savings account at the bank. He worked as a paper carrier for seven years, and his hard work and disciplined savings paid off. By the time he graduated high school, he had saved a few thousand dollars to be used for his college education, along with scholarships he received from Junior Achievement and the Indianapolis Star.
                                                                                                                                  
COLLEGE
Matthew attended Indiana University in Bloomington. He was involved in student government and found out that on a college campus, learning took place in more places than just the classroom. Matthew became involved with the Union Board, which he had responsibility of scheduling student programming, such as theatrical plays and guest speakers. He focused his efforts on the guest lecture series.
His sense of community expanded even more when he joined a fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, whose membership includes include Martin Luther King Jr., and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. While in school, his fraternity helped with study guides/sessions and to navigate the university process, and he assumed additional leadership roles. As president of his dormitory and vice president of the Black Student Union, he had a wonderful opportunity to interact and provide positive activities for his fellow students.
                                                                                                                                              
SERVICE TO OTHERS - IMPD
After graduation from IU with a degree in Political Science, Matthew was burnt out on studying and decided to take a break before attending graduate school. Although he had been accepted to several law schools, Matthew decided to take a deferment and applied to the Indianapolis Police Department. After completing the training academy, he became a law enforcement officer, and has served the city of Indianapolis for the past 35 years.  Sergeant Steward has served in several capacities with IMPD, and presently serves with Community Affairs. He says that serving on the Indianapolis Police Department has been a wonderful experience that has given him the opportunity to reach out to the community, particularly to young people.  Sergeant Steward has been involved with the PAL Club that offers recreational activities, mentoring groups, and youth development initiatives.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE - STEWARD SPEAKERS SERIES
After graduating from college and coming back to Indianapolis, he found that there were not enough national speakers coming to Indianapolis and engaging the community. Many of the speakers that he encountered in college would bypass Indianapolis, calling it “Indian-no-place”.  He decided to do something about it - he would create his own lecture series.
   
He shared his idea and sought advice from several prominent community leaders. They liked his idea, and encouraged him to pursue his vision.  Relying on his college experience and the connections he'd made with the Union Board, he put his plan to work.  He decided to invite a nationally-known speaker, who happened to also be one of his fraternity brothers, Dick Gregory. On November 11, 1986, over 1,200 people came to Clowes Hall to hear Dick Gregory. That night marked the official beginnings of the Steward Speaker Series, whose mission is to inform, to inspire, to educate, and to foster meaningful
dialogue and cultural exchange through an exceptional community based lecture series. The series now hosts 4 - 5 speakers annually; past speakers include former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, comedian/TV host Steve Harvey, musician/actor Common, actors Hill Harper, and Viola Davis.

SAVE THE DATE - 9/20/16: "Making a Difference: Celebrating Our Community" Awards Dinner

                                                                                          

                                                                                                                              





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