Ever thought of Matthew McConaughey as a professor? The award-winning actor just got the title added to his name, thanks to the University of Texas.

Making the announcement via Twitter, the Moody Communication faculty revealed the actor as its new “professor of practice”, though he is hardly a new face at the institution’s grounds.

Professor of Practice

Alumnus

For starters, McConaughey is an alumnus of the university, having taken his bachelor’s degree at the institution and graduating in 1993. Additionally, the actor has for the past half a decade roamed the university grounds in the “visiting instructor” capacity, and undoubtedly, amassed an almost cult-like following among his students.

Back in 2016, the institution was pushing its safe-ride program, and McConaughey’s antics catapulted his popularity among the students, if at all it ever needed catapulting. Can you imagine the man drove a golf cart ferrying some students home? Most students saw this as a boss move, and the actor became a revered legend among them since then.

Students saw this as a boss move

Given the fact that the man is both an actor and producer, it seems obvious that his classes would be on either subject, right? The assumption is true, although he is to major more on filmmaking compared to acting.

When he first joined the university as an instructor, he accompanied Professor Scott Rice to a production class, one he continued providing his insights to for the over four years he has been around. What’s more, he has even provided his expertise in the development of a new curriculum, a fact that has contributed to his elevation to a professor.

The production class teaches students how to accurately convert a script into an entertaining film, and McConaughey admits that he wishes they had this in their curriculum when he was still in school.

An Art and A Science

Filmmaking, the newest professor in town said, is a blend of both art and science. It transcends generations, and is for lack of a better fitting adjective timeless. Concerning his new job and title, McConaughey admitted to enjoying having the opportunity to mentor upcoming filmmakers, people to take up the mantle when time to hang up his boots finally comes.

In the spirit of appreciating the man’s career, he has had quite the journey dating back to the 1990s. He started, as many actors tend to, with TV commercials. His looks definitely had something to do with it, but there’s no denying that the man is a host of talent and then some.

He was initially cast in romantic comedies, a role he enjoyed for a few years, till he noticed that it made the bulk of all his work. In a bid to rid himself of this stereotype, he started turning down such roles, and stayed for a couple of years without any work. But when your mind is focused on something, you should stick to it till you push through, right?

The role that brought him the coveted Oscar

And thanks to his patience, the man was able to shed off his previously perceived skin, thanks to movies such as Magic Mike and Dallas Buyers Club. The latter brought him the coveted Oscar award, the highest form of prestige an actor could ever ask for.