Hi, my name is Matthew Glennon. I am a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Dubuque. I am a business marketing major as well as a member of the football team. I graduated from Hempstead High School in 2024. I attended the University of Sioux Falls for my first year of college, where I made the Dean’s List. I remember when I first started playing football in the second grade and how scared my mom was that I would get hurt, and to look at it now, and how much she and my father have supported me every step of the way. Football has been my safe space since a young age, whether something was bothering me in school or my personal life, I could always fall back on football. Not only mentally, but football has given me a reason to stay sharp physically as well. I know that when I was out in Sioux Falls, they treated their players more like business transactions rather than people, and that can take a mental toll on you as a player and a person, but my love for the game kept me going, as well as constant family support. The reason I came back to my hometown of Dubuque was family. My family has always been the biggest part of my life, and when my sister told me that she was having a baby girl, I immediately knew that I needed to come home and be a part of her life growing up, and it was the best decision I have ever made. So, my advice when dealing with mental health would be to lean on those around you, whether it is your sports family, your immediate family, or your friends. Whatever you are dealing with, don’t go through it alone; lean on those around you to keep you going. I am very grateful to be a part of the University of Dubuque community that encourages mental health awareness, and I am beyond lucky to be surrounded by the students, staff, and coaches who are here with us every step of the way. I encourage everyone to make their mental and physical health a top priority and to allow those around them to help them live a healthy life.
