Walton High School student wins $180k Marines scholarship
May 25—Matthew Feis, a graduating senior at Walton High School, will enter college in the fall with a $180,000 Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps Scholarship, which he will use towards tuition at Rhodes College in Memphis.
Feis plans to major in political science, be part of the school's ROTC program, and enlist in the Marines Corps after college. Along with achieving academic success, Feis played lacrosse and football at Walton. The senior said he cemented the coveted scholarship during the interview process.
"I think the way I carried myself was pretty important, but I'm truly humbled by this, because there were a lot of kids who applied, who are great kids, that didn't get it," Feis said.
The scholarship will cover the majority of Feis' tuition at Rhodes, a private liberal arts college.
Feis said Walton's rigorous academic curriculum, and his need to balance academics with extracurricular activities, have prepared him for his next step in life.
"I feel like being a part of a school that is challenging, and having teachers that have been there as mentors to me, and having peers who I could never dream of being as talented, and then having the environment where I'm constantly learning ... It's been great, and I think it's helped me become the person I am and helped me receive this award," Feis said. "I love this school, and I am going to miss it."
Griffin Spotz has coached Feis in Lacrosse since Feis was 10, including through four years on the varsity team at Walton. Spotz said Feis's mindset, which shows up on and off the field, will translate to his future in the military.
"He's a really good kid. There's a reason he is going to be a Marine, he's really hardworking and disciplined," Spotz said. "He takes life very seriously, he is very task-oriented. He approaches the game of lacrosse from the perspective of having a job to do, and he wants to make sure he does his job to the best of his abilities, and he wants to make sure he fits into the team as best he can. Everything he thinks about lacrosse is a good depiction of how he views life."
Feis, who also played football at the school, brings a sense of leadership and balance in his life, something Spotz thinks will translate to his next step in life.
"Our program at Walton is pretty rigorous. They do not have much free time," Spotz said. "The kid can handle it. He has shown amazing time management skills," Spotz said. "I think those are honestly skills that are going to go and be useful for him when he goes into being a Marine. I mean, he has a great strategical IQ, a great problem solver. He has really good communication skills and understands the importance of working on a team."
Feis said he was inspired to join the military by meeting people who served and hearing their stories.
"I was brought up and taught respect and taught honor ... respect to people who are sacrificing their lives, sacrificed to save our freedom. I thought that was very respectable and very honorable, so I liked that idea," Feis said. "I thought it was a very interesting path to go down, and I thought that I had the right mindset and I had the right personality for it."
