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Dr. Duffy

IDSC AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Matthew Griffith

IDSC Autobiography
Ive always envied my fathers clarity and focus when it comes to his career; always
confidently chasing the clear path laid before him. From his exciting career as an F-15 pilot in
the Air Force, to a dedicated and successful career as a pilot with Delta Air Lines, there has been
little to distract my father from his path. My story to this point, however, has not been so
straightforward. I was born on Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Florida a place
where people flock to vacation. Shortly after I was born, my family moved to Atlanta, GA, where
I attended grade school through tenth grade. The education system in Georgia isnt nearly on par
with the public education I could receive in Florida, so, I consider myself fortunate that my
family and I got to return to the panhandle of Florida, where I created some of my fondest
adolescent memories. Upon returning to Florida, I attended Niceville Senior High School, one of
the states top performing public senior high schools. During my high school years, I spent
countless hours on the beach, out on the water, fishing, and working odd jobs. As is the case for
us all, however, that chapter of life had quickly come to a close, and it was time for me to
consider what would be next.
I must admit, I didn't grow up an Auburn fan. My father played baseball for the
University of North Carolina and, as a result, my loyalty to all things UNC was strong. By my
senior year of high school, the majority of my friends had committed to Florida schools, and that
seemed to be even more of a reason I wanted to branch out and do something different. Auburn
was on a long list of schools I considered, but it only took a few minutes on my first visit to
know where I would continue to write my story. There was no other decision to be made.
My first few years at Auburn were great. I made many new friends, found passions for
different subjects, and enjoyed a freedom and independence like never before. After a few years,
and more than a few major changes, I realized I lacked direction; I needed a change. The summer

IDSC Autobiography
of my sophomore year, I studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain. I thrive when I am independent
and free. This was something I enjoyed at Auburn, but once I left my comfort zone to travel, I
found a new height of freedom. I discovered that I love to learn about everything, which can be a
positive and a negative. I realized that this may be what inhibited me from conforming to the
straight and narrow path of a one-major, singular focus like that of many of my colleagues. I
yearned for other experiences abroad, so I quickly made plans to leave the country again. I spent
the next three years traveling all over the world, periodically returning home to work and study,
when possible. While my wanderlust hadnt died, I came to the conclusion that it was time to
finish my degree and open a new chapter in my life.
After having had a taste of the real world, I wanted to change the direction of my
academic career one last time. I have spent the majority of my academic life within the college of
Horticulture, but I also came to understand that I wasnt interested in the standard field of careers
typically available once one leaves the world of academia. After spending some time with friends
who attended business school, I hoped to find a new major with a business oriented program; one
that wouldnt require that I discard my hard work in horticulture, sacrificing many of my current
credit hours. The answer to all of my hopes and aspirations were found within Interdisciplinary
Studies. Once explained to me, I realized that Interdisciplinary Studies represented who I have
become an amalgam of ideas and experiences that lead to something brand new. The
Interdisciplinary Studies major has given me the ability to use my passion spent pursuing credit
hours in horticulture, my interest in business and leadership, and my desire to learn across fields
to focus on the goal of graduation. My hope is that I will have the ability to work for an
agricultural company, but I will be able to leverage my education in business and leadership to
focus on areas which are often neglected in the industry, such as sales or marketing.