ASC: Where are they now? Matthew Williams

Alumni Service Corps: Where are they now?

Matthew Williams ’07

The Alumni Service Corps (ASC) is a Jesuit ministry that was started in the early 1990s by the Jesuits of the USA Central and Southern Province to serve the high schools within that province’s jurisdiction. It has expanded to most Jesuit high schools with Brophy welcoming their first group of corps members in 2011.

Matthew Williams ’07 was part of the first Brophy class of ASC members in the 2011-12 school year. We caught up with him to see what he's up to now.

Q: How was your Brophy experience as a student?  
A: It was incredibly formative. You hear the Grad at Grad principles all the time: open to growth, intellectually competent, religious, loving, and committed to doing justice. Then you realize later just how deeply Brophy instilled those values in you. I was struck by the quality of relationships I formed with teachers, coaches, and peers, which motivated me to attend a Jesuit college. I went to Boston College and felt well-prepared to engage with the world, question things, and act with integrity. When the Alumni Service Corps (ASC) launched, I applied instantly and was overjoyed to be selected.  

Q: What impact did your time with ASC have on you? 
A: My ASC year was incredibly formative. Brophy trusted me to teach AP Psychology, and while it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, I’m proud that all twelve students passed the AP exam. It was so difficult but so fun — fun to watch myself grow as a teacher and to watch my students grow alongside me. I fell in love with teaching and stayed at Brophy for three more years. My time at Brophy also led me to medical school. I had set my pre-med dream aside, but while teaching, I realized I lacked the clinical skills to fully help students struggling with depression and anxiety. That experience motivated me to pursue medicine.  

Q: What are you up to now? 
A: I went to medical school at Georgetown, another Jesuit institution, where I earned my MD and MBA. I then came out to UC San Francisco for my adult psychiatry residency and am about to finish my child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship. Every day, I work with children, teenagers, and their families who are going through really tough times, and it’s incredibly rewarding. I still get to do a lot of teaching along the way, which I love. On the side, I also do work in venture capital with a healthcare-focused firm. I get to meet founders who want to change the world and help patients live better lives on a grand scale, which has been really rewarding as well.  

Q: Do you have any advice for today’s Brophy students? 
A: Enjoy your time at Brophy. Take a mental snapshot, because the years go by quickly. Some of my Brophy friends are still my best friends today. One was the best man at my wedding, and I was the best man at his.

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