Ryan found out too late that Eastern Europe did not serve actual ice cream.
Morning student commencement speaker: Courtney Ryan
The Pointer
ekrsz157@uwsp.edu
Sometimes the most meandering of roads are the most fulfilling; at least that’s what one can ascertain from the college career of student commencement speaker Courtney Ryan.
When she first started at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, graduating senior Ryan wanted to go into the field of biology in order to be a doctor. In her sophomore year, Ryan decided she hated chemistry and became undeclared until her junior year. At this time, she became an art major with hopes of still graduating in four years.
Then, in her first senior year, Ryan briefly toyed with a Spanish major before she ultimately found her calling with an international studies major. In her second senior year, Ryan studied abroad and finally in her third and final senior year, she added a political science major.
“UW-SP felt like home,” Ryan said. “I was surrounded by incredible faculty that helped nurture my education and encourage my exploration. I found support from administrators and professors that were willing to take time out to meet with me. In that respect, I think I owe a very generous thank you to the chemistry department for that one. I still don’t get it, but I appreciate the dedication.”
During her time at UW-SP, Ryan has been no stranger to student involvement and has the Chancellor’s Leadership Award to prove it. Involved with the Residence Hall Association early on, she then became involved with the United Nations Student Organization and traveled to New York to attend the organization’s national conference. Also being involved with the College Democrats for multiple years, Ryan has served as the organization’s treasurer for two years.
The height of Ryan’s involvement came, however, in the fall of 2005 when she was elected vice president of the Student Government Association. After her term as vice president, Ryan stayed involved in SGA and has since held the positions of budget director and assistant budget director. Though this may be considered a sign of insanity in some circles, Ryan has this to say about her time with SGA: “I survived!”
When asked if there was a certain course that she would take over if she could, Ryan was vocal in her adoration of a professor’s courses.
“I would happily retake any of Professor Riley’s classes in a heartbeat,” Ryan said. “Every day they come flush with new baseball stats to add to my political science major and baseball minor.”
The greatest lesson that Ryan will take away from UW-SP is actually something that she learned while studying abroad in Poland and Hungary last year.
“The world is breathtakingly immense,” Ryan said. “And yet human experiences are, for the most part, universal. I was privileged enough to be one of the many students that traveled abroad during my college experience. UW-SP is one of the luckiest universities to have such a wonderful program in place to promote international learning.”
As for her speech, when asked if it would be funny or inspiring, Ryan responded, “Hopefully at least one person will chuckle, and maybe I can inspire a teenage sibling out there in the audience. If not, at least my parents are coming. That makes two.”
All advance requests towards Ryan for her speech were denied, as were all other advances. Ryan currently resides on Church Street with two saintly roommates and a beast of a cat named Mew.
