Read about how the Eric E. Garvin ’10 Student Exploration Fellowship continues the spirit of global engagement, service, and justice that Garvin modeled in the latest issue of “CATALYST” magazine.
Matt Suzor, JD, was nervous about making connections when he arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, in spring 2025 for his final semester of law school. On his first full night in the eclectic Observatory neighborhood, he ventured into a local bar for a burger and beer, overhearing a group of men his age discussing soccer.
“I kind of sheepishly flagged them down, put down my book, and said, ‘Hey guys, I’m sorry, I started to overhear your conversation, but I just moved here. I don’t know anybody yet, but I do love soccer,’ ” Suzor recalled. “ ‘And I was wondering, do you guys play?’ ”
Their “remarkably friendly” response exemplified the warmth he would experience throughout his three-and-a-half months in South Africa. “They told me to join them whenever I could,” Suzor said, and so every Sunday for the remainder of his stay, he played soccer with those men, who became his core social network in a foreign country.
Suzor, who graduated from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in May 2025, spent that final semester working at the Legal Resources Centre in Cape Town as a recipient of the Eric E. Garvin ’10 Student Exploration Fellowship. That fellowship carries a profound legacy — honoring the life of Eric Garvin and continuing the spirit of global engagement, service, and justice that he modeled.
A Passion for Justice and Travel
Eric Garvin, a 2010 Maryland Carey Law graduate, was murdered by gang members while traveling in Santiago, Chile, on Jan. 14, 2023. Those who knew him describe a life defined by compassion, courage, and a commitment to improving communities both at home and abroad. Eric loved international travel and pursued opportunities to understand and uplift disadvantaged communities.
Eric’s father, Col. Eric Garvin (retired), described his son as someone who “epitomized the philosophy of believing in something bigger than himself.” His mother, Anna Garvin, added, “He was an extremely giving person. He was loving to everybody.”
At Maryland Carey Law, Eric was a member of the moot court team and participated in the school’s international externships and study abroad programs, traveling to 13 countries during a semester in London. After graduation, he worked in New York City’s Office of Criminal Justice under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, focusing on reducing violent crime in neighborhoods including Brownsville, Brooklyn — where his father had grown up.
“Eric was a vital part of the anti-violence movement of New York City,” his father said. “One of the terrible ironies is that he would be killed by the very thing that he fought so much against.”
Eric’s passion for travel remained constant throughout his life. He visited more than 40 countries, driven by curiosity about different cultures and people.
“Travel was a true passion for Eric,” Colonel Garvin said. “He was constantly on the move. He was intent on exploring as much of the world as possible.”
Read more about Eric Garvin and the fellowship in his honor.
The latest issue of "CATALYST" magazine highlights the School of Medicine's impact building safer health systems in The Gambia; the School of Nursing's work with HIV and mental health in Nigeria; UMB's health care pipeline for students from underserved rural areas such as the Eastern Shore; UMB's innovative policing; Five Questions with VP for Research Patrick O'Shea; and much more.