Some University of Texas students got quite a surprise when they requested a ride home from campus on Monday night. Instead of being picked up by one of their fellow students, famous alumnus Matthew McConaughey pulled up to give them a lift. The university, like many across the country, offers a service called SURE Walk where students traveling across campus at night get an escort to to their homes. Instead of just throwing a few bucks towards his school, as many famous graduates probably do, Matthew displayed some true Longhorn pride and took a shift as a driver for the program.
The university’s student government posted a photo of Matthew looking chill, as he always does, shuttling a group of excited students (and one who was not so excited) back to their homes. On their Facebook page, they captioned the snap, “Longhorns take care of each other, and it’s ‘safe’ to say Matthew McConaughey agrees. Don’t forget to use SURE Walk when traveling home late at night; you never know who might pick you up! #BeSafe #SafeChats.” They also posted the picture to Twitter, as well as a video of some very surprised college kids getting shuttled around by the 47-year-old actor in a deluxe golf cart. Sadly, it wasn’t a Lincoln.
Always use @SUREWalk when walking home from campus at night… you never know who will be driving! New hours: 7PM-2AM #AlrightAlrightAlright pic.twitter.com/czGRNpj2Ys
— UT Student Gov't (@UT_SG) November 29, 2016
Here is @McConaughey reminding students of the importance of staying safe on our campus. #BeSafe #SafeChats #AlrightAlrightAlright @SUREWalk pic.twitter.com/8WGkE3r8t4
— UT Student Gov't (@UT_SG) November 30, 2016
This isn’t the first time that Matthew, who graduated from the university in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in radio, TV and film, has made a return to campus. He taught classes for the school’s Moody College of Communication and he even gave the school’s football team a pep talk back in 2014. Not sure how much it helped, as the team finished the season 6-7 and lost to Arkansas in the Texas Bowl, but it’s the thought that counts, right? He regularly attends football games at the school, most recently cheering on the team against the TCU Horned Frogs on Friday.
I do wonder, with this last visit to campus, if Matthew updated the mantra of his Wooderson character in Dazed and Confused. I hope he said, at least once, “That’s what I love about these college girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.” Hey, let me have my fantasy.
That’s so cool that Matthew did this. With all of the craziness going on, the school’s safety program could definitely use the promotion – and who better than one of the school’s most famous graduates to get the word out. I would freak if I met an actor I admired at school. The only celebrity alumni encounter that happened to me at my alma mater (FSU!) was when Burt Reynolds (and Loni Anderson) waved at us at a football game. I know, #coolstorycorey.
Photo credit: Getty Images, WENN.com
Was Matthew born in Texas!? I’m about to move to Texas and in my mind he is the typical Texan.
He is indeed a very proud Texan, born & raised!
I’ve always loved him, and now I love him even more. He’s just an awesome, all-around great guy! ❤️
He went to HS in Longview, which is an hour or so east of Dallas.
He’s far from being the typical Texan.
The girl looking down at her phone works for the program and was looking up the next address to drive to- some stories elsewhere have been yelling at her so let’s set the record straight!
I love that dude.
Ever since A Time to Kill (the source of one of Samuel L’s “Yes they deserved to die & I hope they burn in hell!” quote) I knew he was going to turn out alright.
Good to see I wasn’t wrong.
I think you meant that you knew he was going to turn out “all right, all right, all right”! lol
haha! I was waiting for someone to say it!
You didn’t count Bobby Bowden as a celebrity at FSU? I only interacted with him when he rode his golf cart through the tunnel by the stadium. I got to see the White Stripes and a few other awesome bands before they were hugely popular at Club Downunder on campus.
Woot fellow Seminole here, Corey!!!
I wonder if there were bongo drums and a huge bag of weed.
Love him.
Love this. And that service is really cool. I would have loved that when I was in college, always terrified to ever have to walk home alone at night.
I had two celeb encounters in college — one with Brian Setzer (it was the 80s, lol) on the street before a Stray Cats gig. And one with Roger Ebert, who had been editor in chief of our school newspaper and who came back for a visit.
Also, U2 showed up at the doorstep of a sorority house after one of their gigs, the photos of Bono at their piano surrounded by girls in pjs was front page news one day.
Does anyone else think that Matthew totally lost his looks when he lost all that weight for the Dallas Buyers Club. In my opinion, even when he gained the weight back he has never looked the same.
Yes I feel mean saying it buy yeah.
Yup he doesn’t look as handsome pre weight loss. He’s ok but he looks like he never bounced back from DBC in the looks department.
As a Longhorn, I’m usually irritated by him showing up on the sidelines of football games. As if they need any more publicity or support. Ricky Williams tho? Different story. But this I can feel good about! UT also has an organization for students in recovery. Pretty cool.
I love that he does these things for UT. Especially after everything that happened last summer. 🙁 Hook ’em!
+1. Forgot about that momentarily. 😓
He’s looking really good again. Really really good.
Not surprised to hear this – he’s been part of the Austin landscape for years, and he’s good guy!
Have only heard great things from people who have bumped into him in Austin… this makes me happy!
Cracking up at the headline. They didn’t expect to go home?
Saw previews of a new McConaughey movie this weekend, the name of which escapes me. He didn’t look good. There was a scene in which he was dancing around in his tighty-whities (shudder), and all I could think was that an actress could only do that if the whole point was that she was unattractive/a laughingstock), but in this case, we were supposed to be laughing with him.
Lisssssen, I thought Loni Anderson was the HEIGHT of sophisticated glamour when I was a kid, so I contend that this is an actual cool story 😉