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Currently, McGarry is in Zimbabwe working with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) on a number of projects, including writing grants to fund programs that will support children affected by AIDS. Given the breadth and depth of his experience, it’s no wonder that McGarry was recently selected from more than 400 applicants to receive an International Development Fellowship from CRS designed to train the agency’s next generation of country managers.
“I enjoy the opportunity to give other people the tools to make radical changes in their lives, the chance to see the wonder of the world and meet as many different people as possible,” said McGarry. But it’s not an easy life. Loneliness is inevitable, as is frustration over the difficulty of effecting real change in some of the world’s poorest countries.
“No matter how hard the people we try to serve struggle, there is almost always some other seemingly insurmountable challenge lurking. It is not all fulfillment and celebration,” he said. “But the simple truth is that I am programmed this way, and I cannot imagine living any other sort of life.”
In 2002, McGarry applied to Fordham University’s Graduate Program in International Political Economy and Development (IPED), a 12-course curriculum designed to train students for international careers. He was attracted to Fordham because of the Jesuit ideal of service to others that is central to his life. He won an Arrupe Scholarship from Fordham to pay for his graduate education and was awarded the IPED travel scholarship last summer to fund his work in South Africa.
“Often you find international aid workers with a strong commitment to service and good interpersonal skills,” said Henry Schwalbenberg, Ph.D., associate professor of economics and director of IPED. “It’s rare that you find someone with the intellect needed to manage the business side of working in developing countries as well. Matt exhibits all three traits and has tremendous management and leadership potential.”
McGarry’s tenacity doesn’t surprise Jennifer Lentfer, his CRS supervisor in Zimbabwe. Lentfer said McGarry’s experience has taught him adaptability, a critical skill when working in developing countries.
“Our country program in Zimbabwe has been in a state of flux recently, and Matt has weathered the uncertainty with great maturity and patience, continuing to produce high-quality work and fostering positive relationships with his co-workers and the communities we serve,” said Lentfer. “He has worked with local volunteers and has learned a great deal about the importance of community-centered sustainability.”
McGarry is anxious to introduce other young people to international aid work. He got the chance last year when he served as a chaperone on a Fordham Global Outreach trip to Nicaragua. The program enables students to travel domestically and abroad for volunteer projects. The weeklong trip was short compared to the months McGarry has spent abroad, but he still counts the experience as one of his most fulfilling.
“It was an incredible privilege to work, converse and reflect with a remarkable group of young people, at least some of whom underwent a life-altering experience,” said McGarry. “To be able to facilitate that, as others had once done for me, was an incredible gift. Hopefully it will not be the last time that I am able to give and receive such a gift.”
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