Northwestern University Athletics
Friday Feature: Kabiller Award Helps Harris Give Back to Community
5/27/2016 10:24:00 AM | Football, 'Cats Give Back, David G. Kabiller NU for Life Program
EVANSTON, Ill. — Having grown up on both the west side and the suburbs of Chicago, junior cornerback Matthew Harris has seen "the best and worst of both worlds."
That's why, after winning the NU For Life Irving Kabiller Memorial Award for Excellence in Character, Commitment and Community, Harris wanted to give back to underprivileged communities in an incredibly impactful way.
The award, which comes with a $5,000 grant to be used for professional development, will allow Harris to host a two-day workshop at Northwestern in conjunction with Northwestern's annual summer Youth Impact Program (YIP) strengthening leadership skills for underserved kids.
"There is a lack of leadership in underprivileged communities," he said. "I wanted to focus on bringing in kids and having them identify as leaders and focus on ways they can go back into their community and lead and change the culture."
Harris, who graduated from Lyons Township High School, will rely on the guidance and connections of his two brothers, who both work in secondary education.
"We are going to bring our heads together and focus on schools in the Evanston and Chicagoland areas," Harris said of the workshop. "We will bring a few students and have them come to Northwestern and get to know what this world has to offer."
While still hashing out the details of the event, Harris knows that the core of the workshop will center around learning from shared experiences as well as strategies for returning to their communities to lead and help others.
"This is a humbling honor," Harris said of the Kabiller Award, which is awarded to five junior student-athletes annually after they submit a proposal for what the funds would be used for. "Building self-confidence is important and is what is lacking in these kids."
NU For Life is Northwestern Athletics' career preparation and employer engagement, which began in 2012 following a donation to the department by David Kabiller, a member of the University's Board of Trustees, a former Wildcat tennis player, and the son of the Kabiller Award namesake, Irving.
"Matt is such a selfless individual who consistently tries to elevate the lives of those around him," said Julie Hammer, assistant athletic director for NU for Life. "In choosing to give back to underprivileged youth, he will make an impact on their lives and, in turn, excel personally and professionally."
On the field, Harris lead the Wildcat football team with a career-high four interceptions and helped Chicago's Big Ten Team win 10 games and earn a trip to the 2016 Outback Bowl. Off the field, Harris is chomping at the bit for ways he can give back to the community: in the winter quarter, he is interning at Evanston Township High School. He says it will help him grow as a person and determine if that is a path he is interested in pursuing professionally, much like his two brothers.
In thinking about the workshop, which makes strides to change the culture in underprivileged communities, Harris anticipates that the kids who are invited will not be the only people impacted.
"Having them learn from my story and also learning from their story and learning what everybody goes through, I think that'll be important and that will be also inspiring for me," he said.
That's why, after winning the NU For Life Irving Kabiller Memorial Award for Excellence in Character, Commitment and Community, Harris wanted to give back to underprivileged communities in an incredibly impactful way.
The award, which comes with a $5,000 grant to be used for professional development, will allow Harris to host a two-day workshop at Northwestern in conjunction with Northwestern's annual summer Youth Impact Program (YIP) strengthening leadership skills for underserved kids.
"There is a lack of leadership in underprivileged communities," he said. "I wanted to focus on bringing in kids and having them identify as leaders and focus on ways they can go back into their community and lead and change the culture."
Harris, who graduated from Lyons Township High School, will rely on the guidance and connections of his two brothers, who both work in secondary education.
"We are going to bring our heads together and focus on schools in the Evanston and Chicagoland areas," Harris said of the workshop. "We will bring a few students and have them come to Northwestern and get to know what this world has to offer."
While still hashing out the details of the event, Harris knows that the core of the workshop will center around learning from shared experiences as well as strategies for returning to their communities to lead and help others.
"This is a humbling honor," Harris said of the Kabiller Award, which is awarded to five junior student-athletes annually after they submit a proposal for what the funds would be used for. "Building self-confidence is important and is what is lacking in these kids."
NU For Life is Northwestern Athletics' career preparation and employer engagement, which began in 2012 following a donation to the department by David Kabiller, a member of the University's Board of Trustees, a former Wildcat tennis player, and the son of the Kabiller Award namesake, Irving.
"Matt is such a selfless individual who consistently tries to elevate the lives of those around him," said Julie Hammer, assistant athletic director for NU for Life. "In choosing to give back to underprivileged youth, he will make an impact on their lives and, in turn, excel personally and professionally."
On the field, Harris lead the Wildcat football team with a career-high four interceptions and helped Chicago's Big Ten Team win 10 games and earn a trip to the 2016 Outback Bowl. Off the field, Harris is chomping at the bit for ways he can give back to the community: in the winter quarter, he is interning at Evanston Township High School. He says it will help him grow as a person and determine if that is a path he is interested in pursuing professionally, much like his two brothers.
In thinking about the workshop, which makes strides to change the culture in underprivileged communities, Harris anticipates that the kids who are invited will not be the only people impacted.
"Having them learn from my story and also learning from their story and learning what everybody goes through, I think that'll be important and that will be also inspiring for me," he said.
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