Matt Herman ’23 Values the People Who Make CBA Special
April 26, 2023
When he was conducting his college search, Matt Herman ’23 identified the key parts of Christian Brothers Academy that he wanted to find in a future college.
Once Duke University came into focus, he knew it was the right fit for him.
“I see parts of CBA in Duke, mainly with the tradition and the brotherhood that they have,” he said. “Being at CBA, I really appreciate everything like the rich history. Seeing the Cameron Crazies [at Duke] and how everyone is able to come together, it reminded me a lot of our Colt Crazies. The things I liked the most about CBA exist very strongly within Duke.”
Between his academics and his athletic prowess, Herman qualified himself to attend a school like Duke. He understands, however, that CBA’s academic offerings and the teachers who instruct those courses played a big role in setting him up for success.
“The teachers are going to challenge you and push you to be the best version of yourself in the classroom,” he said. “Coupled with that, they really care for you as a person.”
He specifically recalled Mr. Frake’s AP Calculus class and Dr. Widdis’ Spanish 4 Honors course, both for the challenges of the specific subjects and their willingness to connect with him on a more personal level.
“It’s always nice to have faces like that to talk to throughout the day.”
Outside the classroom, Herman put together an equally impressive resume.
He has run both indoor and outdoor track since his freshman year, participating in the various sprint events. He was named to the NJ.com All-Non Public second team last year, as well as second team All-Shore. Herman will continue his sprinting career with the Blue Devils in their Division I program.
His extracurricular activities include serving as president of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), a committee chair for the Middle School Model UN Conference, and a staff member for the Pegasus Yearbook.
“CBA definitely gets the complete person to develop,” he commented. “We talk about the academics and the things outside of the classroom. We really emphasize that for everybody.”
With all of his academic success and extracurricular involvement, Herman became the National Honor Society President during his senior year, as well as an inductee into the Spanish Honor Society, earning the Seal of Biliteracy, and being named a National Merit Commended Student.
With graduation on the horizon, Herman knows that it is the people at CBA – both students and teachers – who make the Academy experience one-of-a-kind.
“The friends that I have made here, through teams and the classroom, are my closest friends. It is going to be weird being hundreds of miles away, but I am confident that we are so close that it will continue into the future and these are people I am going to be friends with my whole life.”