Jeff Matt is, by his own admission, the underdog in the upcoming USAC elections.
A third-year political science student who transferred in the fall from Ventura College, Matt is running for president as an independent against two other candidates who are both affiliated with slates.
It’s a bold move for a newcomer who has never attended a meeting of the Undergraduate Students Association Council. But confident is the only way to describe Matt, and his easygoing demeanor and ready smile prove it.
When asked what qualified him for the presidency, Matt gives a simple reply.
“I know I can do it,” he said.
He plans to campaign through “word of mouth” and by speaking to students in person. He does not anticipate spending money and said he prefers campaigning “the old-fashioned way.”
“I’m going to talk to people and get my thoughts across,” Matt said. “My priority is the students. They come first.”
Citing money as the central part of his platform, Matt said that he wants to help students afford education. For example, he plans to establish a “lending library” to counteract the high prices of textbooks.
Students would donate textbooks they no longer needed, which would then be available for other students to check out for a quarter.
“The key idea is to save money for students,” he said.
Matt said he would rely on past leadership experience and advice from mentors to help him in his campaign.
In fact, he met with current president Gabe Rose prior to being interviewed.
Family members were positive about Matt’s campaign for the presidency.
“I am very proud of him,” said Edward Matt, his father, adding that his son overcame family difficulties in high school to become involved in athletics and student government.
“He doesn’t know how far he’s come. He’s extremely determined,” Matt said.
Other family members said Jeff Matt’s work ethic will set him apart from the other candidates.
“He knows what he wants,” said Mark Cooper, Matt’s stepfather. “He doesn’t expect results. He works for them.”
If elected, the presidency and its responsibilities would not be new to Matt.
He was class president his senior year at Hueneme High School in Ventura County, where he graduated with honors.
He held the public relations position on the Associated Students of Ventura College board from 2003 to 2004.
He was president from 2005 to 2006, public information officer Alisa Moore confirmed.
At Ventura, Matt was instrumental in procuring vending machines that provided supplies when the student store was closed after hours.
Moore described Matt as “an articulate student.”
She said she was not surprised to hear that Matt was running for student government president at UCLA.
But it seems that politics have always been a significant part of Matt’s life.
His father remembered a 14-year-old Matt eschewing baseball or video games in favor of watching the Democratic debates on television.
Matt would then discuss each candidates’ platforms with his father in detail.
“At age 15, he surpassed me in knowledge in terms of politics,” his father said.
Friends also described politics as having an impact on Matt’s life.
Daniel Bolde, one of Matt’s coworkers at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery in Santa Clarita, said he was happy to see Matt running for president.
“He told me he wanted to run for president of the United States,” Bolde said. “(Politics) have affected his life and position.”
Bolde described Matt as trustworthy, dependable and a hard worker.
“I think UCLA would be lucky to have (Matt) as president,” Bolde said.
Other friends said Matt would give his best effort in the campaign.
“He’s not the type of person to give up,” said Nicole Cortez, another former coworker of Matt’s from BJ’s Brewery. “If he doesn’t win this year, he’s going to run next year. He’s not the type to take failure.”
Cortez, a close friend, described Matt as a “people person” who was willing to listen to students’ needs and promote them.
“He won’t just come in, talk and do nothing. He’s a realistic candidate,” Cortez said.
Though he is an independent, Matt said that his personality makes him stand out from his rivals.
“I’m a good listener. I don’t pretend to have all the answers,” he said. “If there’s a problem, I’ll get everyone else’s point of views and draw a conclusion from them.”
Lauren Johnson, Matt’s girlfriend, said he is invested not just in himself but in others as well.
“He makes decisions that are beneficial to others. He takes everyone into consideration,” Johnson said.
Johnson added that Matt made friendships a priority in his life and was able to relate well to others.
“He values relationships with other people. His work ethic is very professional,” Johnson said.
Matt said a deep interest in political science would make the presidency something he enjoyed.
“Politics is what I do. I’m doing what I’m genuinely interested in. It isn’t just a job. It’s what I really love,” Matt said.