By Sarah Mcsparin

Voted “Most likely to succeed” by his high school senior class, 2007-08 Student Government Academic Vice President Matt Flairty seems to be fulfilling his superlative.

Flairty, a junior political science major, is from Pendleton County, a small county in Northern Kentucky where farming is a way of life.

Flairty’s parents, who are owners of a small trucking business, farmed his great-grandfather’s land for many years.

“I will actually be the first generation of my family that won’t farm for a portion of my income,” Flairty said.

In high school, Flairty was an active member of the National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America, and the student council.

During his junior year, Flairty ran unsuccessfully for state president of the National Honor Society.

“After losing the NHS election, I realized that I have to take things seriously. You learn more from your mistakes than your successes sometimes.”

Choosing the University of Louisville was easy for Flairty, “it was the McConnell Center that really made my decision, and I always wanted to move to a bigger city,” he said.

Upon arriving at U of L, he became a member of the McConnell Scholars, College Democrats, and Student Ambassadors.

Having often traveled with his father, then an operator of a milk distributing company, on business trips during the weekends and the summer, Flairty claims to have developed his love of politics after seeing the interactions within the business.

Flairty’s first jobs included working as an elementary school janitor and as a cook at White Castle.

“Everyone should work fast food sometime in their life. I was actually forbidden to work the drive-through window because when I did the line would get backed up because I would talk too much to the customers,” he said.

“Matt is a great guy with plenty of talent and an infectious laugh,” said Kyle Riggs, a junior political science major and fellow McConnell Scholar.

When Flairty is not busy with all of his extracurricular activities, he waits tables at Jarfi’s and hangs out with his friends.

“At the restaurant where he works as a waiter, they call him ‘Governor’ instead of Matt because they see how hard he works and how much his tables love him,” said Taylor Hamilton, a sophomore political science major and Flairty’s girlfriend of one year.

“He’s like one of those perfect gentlemen that you hear about from movies and books, who is just really sweet and caring and great to all of his friends.”

After graduating next spring, Flairty said he wants to wait five or six years to get his masters in business administration.

“I might stay here after I graduate, I really love the city of Louisville.”