Tell us about your military service. What did you do? Where did you serve? What do you value the most about your military service?
Ryan began his Army career as an infantry officer after commissioning from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was selected for the Special Forces and attended the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2015. Following graduation from the SFQC, he was a detachment commander at 5TH Special Forces Group where he deployed twice to Syria to combat the Islamic State. He then served as the Special Operations Liaison to Egypt from 2019-2021. Ryan’s service taught him the value of teamwork, determination, and interpersonal relationships.
What are your thoughts on mentoring other students while at Vanderbilt? As a role model, what values do you want to share?
I would love to share my experience establishing relationships with people who come from different cultural and social backgrounds and working together for a common goal. Bridging cultural gaps requires empathy, compassion and a commitment to compromise. These are the values that I would like to share with fellow students at Vanderbilt University.
While at Vanderbilt, what will be the focus of your studies and how do you plan to use this knowledge in your future career?
At Vanderbilt I will pursue a Master’s of Business Administration, concentrating in Strategy and Finance. I plan to use this knowledge to assume a position of leadership in the corporate world and the civic community.
What would you tell other veterans about the Bass Military Scholars Program?
Apply if you can! It is a fantastic network of truly accomplished people.