The Oscar-winning actor is going down the road of mentorship as he takes on the role of a professor at his alma mater. He will be putting his industry experience to good use and taking classes on film studies.
From Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation to Interstellar, Matthew McConaughey has certainly won hearts all over the world with his acting prowess. And now, the students of film at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas are going to have a chance to see and learn from the man himself. The 49-year-old actor has now taken on a full-time role as a professor who, starting this fall, will teach in the university’s Department of Radio-Television-Film, according to The Guardian.
The Academy Award winner was officially added to the list of faculty as a "professor of practice," in a tweet on Wednesday morning, reported the Insider.
In recognition of his professional pedigree and personal investment in student success, Matthew McConaughey has been appointed a #TEXASMoody professor of practice. @McConaughey will continue to teach the #UTScriptoScreen class in @UTRTF. pic.twitter.com/9goKkc6U0A
— TEXAS Moody (@UTexasMoody) August 28, 2019
But what many might not know is that he is also part of the university's alumni. The actor was born in Uvalde, Texas, and graduated with a bachelor's degree from the university in 1993. After that, he went on to make more than 50 films, of which his famous line "Alright, alright, alright," from the movie Dazed and Confused was actually shot in Austin, Texas. Since 2015, however, Matthew has been a frequent guest on the campus as a visiting instructor and has not failed to win over hearts especially when he drove students home in a golf cart as part of the university's safe-ride program in 2016.
Last week, @McConaughey visited @UTRTF's Advanced Producing: Script-to-Screen class! #moodypride #whatstartshere pic.twitter.com/hpmhEMKi8I
— TEXAS Moody (@UTexasMoody) August 29, 2016
Now though, he will be teaching a Script to Screen film production class at the Moody College of Communication, reported Huffington Post. He is familiar with this subject as it was a class he previously co-taught as a guest with filmmaker and faculty member Scott Rice.
According to a press release from the university, the actor mentioned that this class was the one he wished he’d had during film school. "Working in the classroom with these students gives me a chance to prepare them,” he said. “Making movies, turning words on paper into film, is both a science and art ― no matter the time or generation. The elements of truth and genuine joy for the process are timeless. That will always be our classroom focus.”
And the university and its students love him. According to The Guardian, the university stated that he does an “outstanding work as a teacher and mentor.” They also mentioned that the actor is respected for his “willingness to work with students beyond the classroom.” “He has a passion for teaching, and for all things cinematic, that is palpable, even infectious,” said Noah Isenberg, chair of the Department of Radio-Television-Film, in the press release.
It is these very traits that have students flocking to learn from him. A student who attended his co-taught class in 2016 gave him a five-star rating on Rate My Professors saying that his class was “ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!”
While students at the Moody College are excited to have him on board and sharing his expertise this semester, there are many Twitter users who aren't students who have suddenly experienced a desire to go to college - this one in particular. Check out these fun tweets about his appointment as a professor.
Matthew McConaughey is gonna be a professor at UT Austin so I guess I’m transferring pic.twitter.com/q83YbAeeeb
— shea butter baby ✨🌙 (@50ShadesofKeke) August 28, 2019
So @McConaughey is now a Professor at UT! 🤘🏽🤣 #Texas pic.twitter.com/gWs7rHiJdr
— Ashley Kamrath (@AshleyKamrath) August 29, 2019
Matthew McConaughey is now a professor at the University of Texas, so naturally I’m quitting grad school and switching my major from nursing to film 😊
— Jess🌼 (@Jess_Rene04) August 29, 2019
Apart from these reactions though, there is more as to why he's been appointed as a full-time professor. “We are proud to welcome Professor McConaughey to officially join our world-class faculty,” said Moody College Dean Jay Bernhardt in the press release, according to NBC News. “Matthew cares deeply for our school and our students, and we are thrilled that he shares his time and talent to help prepare the next generation of media leaders and innovators.”
Definitely a reason to go back to college, eh?
References:
https://www.insider.com/matthew-mcconaughey-professor-at-university-of-texas-2019-8
https://news.utexas.edu/2019/08/28/matthew-mcconaughey-joins-moody-college-faculty/
https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=2155291
