BOSTON, Mass. – There's much more to being a student-athlete than being both a student and an athlete, and few know that better than the student-athletes of Wentworth Institute of Technology. Academics, athletics, and even real-world applications through the cooperative education curriculum, all are integral parts of a Wentworth student's college experience.
Sophomore Matt Favazzo of the baseball team has seemingly had his sights set on a career in construction management for quite some time. The inspiration came from his father, who acts as one of a few role models for Favazzo to follow, as he continues to serve as a superintendent for a real estate development company.
The Lexington, Massachusetts native didn't stumble upon Wentworth as his top school. Originally focusing on attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Favazzo had a change of heart to come to Wentworth with some factors behind the change including the best choice for his future, the Leopard baseball team, and his father's undeniable guidance.
"My dad actually went to Wentworth night school a long time ago," said Favazzo. "Growing up, I always went to his projects and put on my little hard hat. I went out there and I loved it. I knew what I wanted to do."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Favazzo would spend hours at home with nowhere else to go, shadowing his father during his real estate development meetings. Favazzo grew to be familiar with the dialogue and developed a passion for talking and studying all things construction and real estate.
Fast forward a few years and Favazzo is beginning to tap into his potential. This past spring, he took part in his first internship experience, interning with Turner Construction Company on a project for Amazon taking place in Boston Seaport. Following a positive and insightful experience, along with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Las Vegas for the American General Contractors Association (AGCA) convention back in March, Favazzo has already accepted another offer to continue helping with the project next summer.
"As a part of the construction management club, I gained a lot of credibility through our networking events," says Favazzo. "I had gotten emails from people – after handing them my resume with things like ice cream shop worker – and they took me because of my Wentworth credentials."
As a Construction Management major with a focus in real estate development, the sophomore is following in his father's footsteps, and getting involved in other various other roles on campus as well, including as treasurer of the construction management club. Most importantly, his extra curriculars in the heart of the city of Boston co-exist with his flame to continue playing baseball.
In his freshman campaign, Favazzo appeared in 29 games for the Leopards, batting .231 with 21 hits, which included a pair of doubles and a triple. Favazzo is determined to bring his season totals higher than a season ago and is willing to do whatever it takes to get the team in the win column more often in 2024, with his ultimate goal for the year being to help the Leopards earn a berth into the Commonwealth Coast Conference playoffs. Head coach Justin Kelley sees Favazzo as a vital leader to the Black & Gold's progression moving forward.
"Matthew takes a lot of pride in getting a little bit better one day at a time by putting in the work in all phases of the game," said Kelley. "He brings a lot to the baseball program with his team-first mentality and work ethic. He leads by example both on and off the field."
Having just over one year academically and athletically under his belt, Favazzo is only beginning to scratch the surface in both careers. With more experience on the horizon at Turner Construction Company and more playing time to be had on Wentworth's baseball team, things can only get better for the sophomore shortstop.
Outside of being a Wentworth student-athlete, Favazzo's favorite thing to do beyond Boston's borders is traveling. He notes that his time in Florida with the team during last year's spring break trip and his week-long experience in Las Vegas at the convention, all in a two-week span, was his "dream."
Favazzo's passion is fueled by his desire to excel as a student-athlete both academically and athletically. Picking Wentworth as the place to further both careers couldn't have been a better option for the sophomore.
"I came to Wentworth, looked around, and I loved it," added Favazzo. "The reason I chose to continue playing baseball is because I love it. The best part is the people and the guys on the team."
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