In 2022, Matt Trust, a Catasauqua, Pa native, returned home to the Lehigh Valley at a career crossroads following his five-year career in sports communications and broadcasting.
Trust began his first career with Hershey Bears, a minor league ice hockey team affiliated with the NHL’s Washington Capitals. He served as the team’s full-time media coordinator and broadcast assistant and often traveled with the team.
During the pandemic’s induced pause, Trust relocated to South Carolina and was named play-by-play voice of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, an ECHL “AA” affiliate for the Florida Panthers. After a season, he rejoined Hershey towards the end of the pandemic as more professional leagues began to resume.
To this day, Trust remembers the culture of hustling. “It was a blast. But it’s unsustainable living out of hotels and suitcases, eating cold pizza, and drinking warm beer,” he said with a laugh. “I was burning through my 20s trying to chase a job in the National Hockey League, and the lifestyle impacted my mental health and well-being.”
Trust mentioned the high turnover rates in sports media, and an interesting phenomenon he picked up on: former sports entertainment colleagues shifting into the healthcare industry.
“They were finding that bridge of being able to adapt their skillset of marketing and communications into the healthcare realm. That always stayed in the back of my mind,” Trust said.
In October 2022, he accepted a community engagement and communications position at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) and its new subsidiary in the Leonard Parker Pool Institute for Health (LPPIH). Soon after the career pivot, Trust was inspired by the knowledge and passion that the people around him had for community health. Two months after his start, Trust found himself attending a retirement gathering for a colleague and mentor. Trust unknowingly sat down next to Beth Dolan, dean of the College of Health.
“I kept thinking, how do I close this knowledge gap between me and my coworkers as fast as humanly possible? And now I’m telling Dean Dolan where I’m at in my career, this new chapter, and she’s learning a little about me. She told me about Lehigh’s College of Health and it snowballed from there.”
Months later, Trust enrolled in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program, and is preparing for his upcoming graduation in May 2026. While many students finish the degree in two years, with Trust’s full-time job, he is completing his in three. As someone who is new to public health, Trust credits the program with giving him a great sample and variety of the subjects that fall under the public health umbrella.
In the midst of his new role in community health, and completing his MPH, Trust decided to jump in with both feet and relocated to the south side of Bethlehem. The meaning of community is personal to Trust. As a local resident he appreciates the College of Health's efforts to support the south side, where the Health, Science and Technology (HST) building is located.
“I grew up so near to this area. I want to feel good about how community work is being done,” Trust said. “The Catasauqua community growing up trains you well. You think about the bonfires, Christmas tree lightings, Halloween parades; all those traditions that become synonymous with a small town. Looking back, you realize the underrated but crucial role that community connectedness plays with your health.”
Trust is grateful to be a part of the first MPH program in the Lehigh Valley. His community not only lies in the greater south side, but in his fellow MPH students. Participating in this program with younger students gives Trust the opportunity to provide guidance and advice. “Anyone who is contemplating what’s next after Lehigh, I try to provide support.”
It’s nothing short of a tight schedule with long hours, but Trust feels the education makes him a better employee at LPPIH. “I love the fact that I’m able to go to work and then go to class. Sometimes there’s this seamless extension. In office we could be discussing a program evaluation and then in class we’re looking at similar reports and observing its bones. It makes me better and raises my game.”
Trust finds that a small cohort also means students tend to look out for each other. They ask each other how the material is, what professors are like, and how classes are going. Professor and student interactions are frequent, and the relationships are relaxed. Trust mentions that some classes have the atmospheres of a public health club, where it’s casual, inclusive and a safe space to converse about their passions.
“The faculty here are incredible. Some of these professors have changed the trajectory of my career. I cannot speak highly enough about Professor Lisa Lindley and the support she provides. My message to any incoming graduate student in the College of Health is to find your faculty member, develop that relationship, and just enjoy the ride.”
