Senior Mathew Vicknair is known on campus for his leadership, but students might also recognize him as the student who runs everywhere.

Whether it’s to and from class or just for fun, Vicknair runs just about anywhere at St.Thomas, and he said the reason isn’t very complicated.

“I just like running,” Vicknair said. “I started it sometime in high school, and I just haven’t quit.”

Vicknair wears the same shoes for running as he does for everything else, wearing out about four pairs of shoes in a year. The St. Thomas track team noticed his love for running and asked him for his shoe size.

“They got me two pairs of track shoes, and a nice duffle bag,” Vicknair said. “It was a really nice gift from them.”

Vicknair also carries his ambition into the classroom and greater St. Thomas community. He is the president of the Globally Minded Student Association (GMSA) and a student manager at The View.

“Mathew is a very well-organized guy, he’s a very high energy guy, and he follows through,” Bob Warner, faculty adviser of GMSA, said. “When something needs to be done he’ll stay with it until it’s done.”

Senior Anh Do, vice president of GMSA, is Vicknair’s roommate and close friend.

“I took classes with him and I’m so impressed by how much he knows about pretty much every topic,” Do said. “You can have a very deep conversation with him about religion, friendship, or whatever you can think of.”

Vicknair, along with other St. Thomas students, is also involved in a non-governmental organization called MAYSHA, which means ‘life’ in Swahili. The group is starting a pilot program in Uganda to provide accessible health care in underrepresented areas in East Africa.

Michael Andregg, professor of justice and peace studies, recognized Vicknair as a role model for other classmates.

“St. Thomas needs inspirational students,” Andregg said. “There’s a lot of students who would like to do something, but they don’t exactly know how, they need someone with experience.”

After he graduates, Vicknair will attend George Washington University (Washington D.C.) in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in public policy.

Vicknair said he will miss the daily interaction with the people at St. Thomas the most when he graduates Saturday.

“The reason I like these jobs … is the people that I work with,” Vicknair said. “I enjoy interacting with people, especially at GMSA I have a really dynamic board that takes initiative. They’re all much smarter than me so I enjoy being in their company.”

Andregg said Vicknair is headed toward success.

“I’m sure he’s going to go out and do good in the world,” Andregg said. “And Lord knows the global problems need people like him.”

Kyle Jonas can be reached at jona7984@stthomas.edu.