Welcome to Ali Mattu dot com! Watch the video below to learn why I’m running for APAGS.
Endorsements
Darren Bernal, 1st year psychology MA student at the Catholic University of America:
When I first met him within 10 minutes of the conversation the first thing that came up was culture. It became apparent to me very early that it is not something that he just talks about but it is something that is a major component of his life. It colors the perspective he sees the world with and it makes him a natural fit for this position.
Matthew FitzGerald, 2nd year psychology MA student at the Catholic University of America:
When Ali told me that he was running for this position I really couldn’t think of anyone who could be better. Not only is he very dedicated to what he does professionally but he’s so easy to work with. If you’re thinking about leadership skills, he’s a rare kind of leader. He doesn’t lead people by directing them, which is what you would normally expect. He leads them by bringing them all together. It fosters this connection with everyone and gets things going without a lot of self-driven other direction. One thing I know about Ali is whatever it is that he’s passionate about, he’s always into it, at least 100% if not more.
Lowen Baumgarten, friend from elementary/middle/high school and current roommate:
I think the thing is that Ali is just built for this. It’s hard to keep him from doing this, from taking a leadership role, taking the initiative, throwing himself into something wholly, and organizing, coordinating, getting people behind him, and really taking it on. That’s what Ali does - when he’s excited about something he gets you on board and excited about it too. It’s hard to not get him to do that, he’s always drawing people out.
David Jobes, Ph.D., ABPP, Professor of Psychology and Co-Director of Clinical Training at the Catholic University of America:
Ali is one of those students that captivates me….he thinks differently and has a different way of approaching the field. I would strongly encourage you to seriously consider voting for him and for giving him the chance to bring to this larger program what he has brought to our department. Ali is the ideal type of student to lead this field.
Stephen O’Connor, 3rd year clinical psychology Ph.D. student at the Catholic University of America:
I know that we’ll run across a few of his undergrad students on campus and they’re always quick in approaching him and engaging him outside of the classroom. It really seems that he’s developed a special learning atmosphere as an instructor. Within our program, Ali is known as a person who is an organizer. He will try to create activities and programs that are of interest to graduate students and tries to bring people together and build a sense of community. As an APAGS Member at Large he will bring a real skill at bringing people together and collaborating with others.
Karissa Ronkin, freshman at the Catholic University of America:
I loved Ali Mattu’s class! It was so much fun. Everyone was really interested in his class. It wasn’t just about learning the material, but rather applying it to my own life. He made 10 minute podcasts which were awesome! They were these reviews of the lecture and I always used to listen to them with my friends before tests. He just a very personable person and easy to talk to. I think he’d be great for this position!
Colleen Hyland, junior psychology major at the Catholic University of America:
When I came to college I really didn’t know what to do. I decided to take intro psychology and it was taught by Ali Mattu. He really made me love the material. His class was always full, even though he didn’t have an attendance policy. He didn’t just use powerpoint and lecture from the book. He brought real life situations into the classroom and helped us to understand how psychology impacts our daily lives. He introduced me to forensic psychology and now I’m planning to get my PhD in clinical psychology and eventually work in a forensic setting. It’s really all because of him, he made me love psychology.
Melinda Moore, 2nd year clinical psychology Ph.D. student at the Catholic University of America:
I came to Catholic after having 2 other careers and was a little apprehensive because I didn’t think I would fit in because I was older and had very different experiences from people who came right out of undergrad and were psychology majors. I had the opportunity to work with Ali Mattu my first year at Catholic. It was a wonderful experience - not only did he make me feel welcome but he was a such a great support and mentor to me during that time when I really needed someone who didn’t judge me but treated me just like everyone else and welcomed me with open arms. He is a wonderful warm person, he will be an energetic and creative leader, and I guarantee you that he will represent every graduate student beautifully.
Michelle Cappuccio, sophomore psychology minor at the Catholic University of America:
Last semester when I was taking 5 classes in a row Mr. Mattu’s class was a perfect start for my day. It was so much fun and exciting. We used to do experiments in his class. I distinctly remember squirting people in the face with water in one of my classes and trying different kinds of jelly beans and doing all sorts of crazy experiments. But they were really fun and very applicable to my life. I remember every lecture and could probably sit here and tell you everything I learned in that class. It got me excited about learning and inspired me to become a psychology minor.