Anthropology major fosters love of learning in College of Wooster students

Matt Mariola ’98, current associate professor of environmental studies at The College of Wooster and anthropology alumnus, spends much of his time outside of class curating relevant lesson plans and assignments for his students to keep them engaged. “I’ve taught some courses 10 to 12 different times, and you might think it gets repetitive or redundant, but every time I’m teaching it, I teach it to a new group of students,” shared Mariola. “It’s just constant freshness, even though it might seem like it’s the opposite.” 

Mariola uses the campus learning garden to keep his class content applicable to the real world, something that he can see in his students’ progress throughout courses. “I keep expanding the garden and bringing students into the garden, using it in the classroom. There’s this learning that goes on that you could not accomplish in the classroom, this hands-on experience,” said Mariola.  

While on campus as a student, Mariola participated in intramural soccer, the outdoor club, and the juggling club, and continues his love for soccer by playing on the intramural faculty and staff soccer team, where he gets to play against the student team. But perhaps the most important quality of Wooster to Mariola is the process of I.S., both as a student and as a professor. His relationship with his academic advisor, David McConnell, emeritus professor of sociology and anthropology, allowed him to understand the importance of building connections through the I.S. process, which extends beyond a mentoring relationship. “I took many classes with him. I met with him every week in his office for I.S. He was so patient and supportive and intelligent, and talked through the concepts with me. We remained friends and colleagues,” he shared. 

Regarding Mariola’s I.S. project, which examined masculinity norms within the 1990’s television show “Seinfeld,” he emphasized the importance of working on any research project, both as a staff member and student. 

“I.S. is extraordinarily important. I can see now the direct lineage between doing an I.S. and advising I.S. as a faculty member,” said Mariola. “There are skills you learn at Wooster before I.S. but in particular during I.S., that make you more rigorous, more empirical in your orientation towards the world. Those are the kinds of things that come out of a Wooster education.” 

For more insights on Mariola’s experience at Wooster, including what he finds appealing on campus and how he views mentorship through I.S., watch this video.

Posted in Alumni on March 19, 2025.