Megan Matchett

Alumna Megan Matchett combines interests and skills to help animals find loving homes

After earning an Associate of Arts degree from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®) in 2005, Megan Matchett took a job as an account executive at Westlake’s DAC Group. Her skills in writing, marketing and advertising served her well there — but it wasn’t until she started volunteering at Berea Animal Rescue Friends that she discovered her true passion: helping animals and humans find one another.

Matchett now puts her skills to work as an adoptions specialist at the Best Friends Lifesaving Center in Atlanta, Georgia, which houses more than 120 dogs and cats at any given time. Her main responsibilities include writing bios and taking photos of adoptable animals, as well as recommending specific animals to potential adopters based on their lifestyle and the animal's personality.

She is also a published author. Matchett’s first illustrated children’s book, Phanlop the Dragon[CB1] , tells the story of old enemies who become lifelong friends, demonstrating the transformative power of forgiveness. She created the illustrations herself using colored pencils.

Matchett holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in public relations from Baldwin Wallace College, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2007. Her choice to complete core classes at Tri-C helped her save money and concentrate on her major studies at BW.

“My Tri-C experience was great,” Matchett said. “I had fantastic teachers, and my credits transferred easily. It really made earning a bachelor’s degree more cost-effective.”