Photo by Matthew Hicks
Matthew Hicks is a name that might not ring a bell, but there is no doubt you have seen one of his award-winning photographs. He is the man at the majority of games as well as campus events. Longtime fan of Ottawa University sports, he loves to capture all of Ottawa University's greatest memories on and off the field.
Hicks' passion for photography started when he was 12, and he cannot remember a time that a camera was not attached to his hip. With experience of being a part of his high school and college newspapers in Pittsburg, Kansas, then working for several city’s newspapers including The Kansas CIty Star and Olathe Daily News after graduating college, his dream job of working with a University with top athletes is due to what he describes as “an unbelievable chain of events and as well as perfect timing.”
A job while filling in for a past student at the Ottawa Herald brought him to Ottawa’s campus in 2002.
“One of the things I was shooting for was here at the university — it may have even been for a football game.,” he recalls.
“The head of the athletic department and I were having a conversation, and (he) explained to me that they were getting ready to start this thing called a website: ‘We want to be able to have pictures right away. Can you come down and shoot a couple of games for us?’”
Working for a university with peak focus on athletes is something that Hicks has always wanted to do and loves that he is able to do that at Ottawa. The awards and recognition are greatly appreciated ,but they are not the main reason behind why he does what he does.
“The individuals that I come across is my favorite part of my job,” he says.
“I am a people person. For me, the absolute best part of my job here at a college campus is the incredibly diverse group of people that you get to spend time with. The people, the challenge, the energy that comes, the people you get to meet is what makes my job special.”