1 Mahan spent a year in Bolivia building irrigation systems with family farmers to increase their economic opportunities after school. Matt returned to San Jose to teach middle school English and history in Alum Rock through the Teach for America program for two years.

2 Mahan met his wife, Silvia, at a marshmallow roast during their first week in college.

3 He escaped wild bulls by throwing mudpies to scare them out of his campsite after hanging on the edge of a ravine for three hours.

4 Mahan commuted four hours a day to get to Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose when he attended the private school.

5 At Harvard University, Mahan lived down the hall from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.