Matthew Thill has always had lofty ambitions — and he’s not shying away from them.

“My entire life I have always wanted to influence and impact others in any way that I could,” Thill said. “I realized that through storytelling I finally found the route that allowed me to do just that.”

Thill’s passions for comedy, storytelling and influencing lives was given the stamp of approval two years in to his college career. When he was a senior in high school he was lucky enough to give a speech at his graduation. Unfortunately it wasn’t a speech he was entirely proud of — but this changed when his speech was referenced at another graduation two years later.

“That was the first moment in my life where something I personally said and did produced a drastic, positive tangible impact on someone else’s life,” Thill said. “I knew right then and there that this was what I was supposed to do because that feeling is the best feeling I have felt in my life.”

A senior from Albany, Oregon, Thill has always had big dreams. From wanting to be a professional baseball player, to hosting his own late night talk show — he’s never picked something too simple. He writes and directs two Duck TV shows, is a videographer for the cinema studies department and works in equipment check out.

Thill found himself struck with wanderlust in high school. He applied to colleges all over the U.S, but somehow ended up only a short drive away from home.

“I applied to Oregon last, but ended up getting a letter from UO in which they blessed me with a scholarship that I just could not pass up,” Matt said. “It was like in a weird way, UO found me.”

Matt beamed with deep appreciation and love for his family.

“As a single parent, my dad used to tell me that if I was ever feeling down or upset, every lesson in life can be learned in a song,” Thill said. “This is when I realized songs/films/art in general are just little snapshots of the human element. You can learn anything through the arts. It all has been laid out for us.”

His family believes in him just as much now, as they did when he aspired to be a professional baseball player.

But Thill has had his own set of hurdles to over come. He has seen people in his hometown — and within his own family — crippled by poverty, drug addictions and other unfortunate circumstances.

These difficult experiences have only helped to shape Thill in to who he is today. He represents a percentage of students who never had things handed to them, and have overcome every adversary that came their way.

“He never let where he came from or what he was handed in life prevent him from doing what he feels he was meant to do,” Thill’s friend Sierra Swan said. “I truly believe that there is nothing that can stop him from doing great things in this world, especially through television.”

Life has dealt Thill some difficult hands, but he refuses to let that stop him. He continues to chase after his ambitious goals, and won’t stop until they are reached.

“The main idea I want to get across is that I consider myself an example of someone who was faced with rough circumstances as a child, but through determination I have never taken my eyes off the prize,” Thill said. “I am an example of that if you really want to do something there is nothing stopping you.”