In this UConn Senior Spotlight, meet Ryan Swick, a senior from Norwalk, CT! Ryan is a Human Development and Family Studies major with a concentration in Early Childhood Development and Education. Although this is an education program, it is one of the only ones housed outside of Neag and is instead in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Read on to learn more about Ryan!
What are your post graduation plans?: I’ve recently been accepted through Teach for America to teach preschool out in San Francisco, California for the next two years. From there, I’ll be pursuing graduate education in Educational Leadership/Administration or Policy. I hope to advocate for every child’s right to a quality early childhood education among other issues intertwined with educational inequity.
What is your favorite UConn memory?: This past fall, I was lucky enough to attend a NEACURH Regional Conference at Syracuse University with students and advisors from UConn’s RHA (Residence Hall Association) and NRHH (National Residence Hall Honorary). We met other student leaders who are committed to enhancing the student experience and competed to get UConn recognized in the region. Our team worked hard to prepare for this conference and we ended up walking away with the third-place banner and first-place roll call (out of fifty-four schools)! The amount of UConn pride we had was inspiring and made me the most proud of being a Husky.
Why did you become a Husky?: I became a Husky for a number of reasons! In addition to the proximity to home and the in-state tuition, it was the first (and only) school that I visited when applying. I immediately fell in love with the beauty of the campus and the enthusiasm of the Huskies that I was able to shadow. It was then that I decided that I didn’t need to visit any other schools.
What is your favorite place on campus?: Lu’s Café in the Family Studies building basement! The atmosphere is so calming and everyone who works there is so invested in making sure that everyone has an escape from the demands of college. I could spend hours in there at a time and every time I’m in there, I get that “home away from home” feel.
What have you been involved in at UConn?: I’m currently a third-year Resident Assistant, working the last two years in Busby Suites and now the Nathan Hale Inn in South Campus. With the RA position, I have also served as an RA Advisor to Area Council for three years and started serving on the RA Advisory Board and the RA Training and Development Committee. I’m the current Chancellor of UConn’s NRHH, a leadership-based honorary comprised of exemplary residential students who value recognition and service and the sister organization, UConn’s RHA. Finally, I am a member of Phi Sigma Pi, the gender-inclusive honors fraternity here on campus.
What will you miss the most about UConn?: It’s between three things. First are the opportunities for students. The other day, I watched the documentary “Girl, Rising” in the library just because it was being offered. There is always something happening. Second is the campus community support. Between hundreds of students supporting the victims of the Sandy Hook and Chapel Hill shootings and over two-thousand students participating in HuskyTHON, the UConn community never fails to amaze me with their united accomplishments. Finally, the portraits that UConn’s ruralish landscape provides. From the sunsets’ various colors to the snow-tipped forests, it’s not hard to find beauty on UConn’s campus year-round.
What was your biggest accomplishment while at UConn?: Last semester, I was student teaching in a preschool classroom in UConn’s Child Development Labs. One child was having a difficult transition into the classroom. My co-teacher and I actively integrated her interests and other needs into the classroom to help her feel more comfortable. A month after her arrival, she approached me specifically and gave me a hug followed by her parents who told me just how much of an impact I had on their family. In that moment, I felt a newfound sense of motivation and purpose. This victory made me feel more accomplished than any academic honor.
What advice do you have for underclassmen?: When you decide what level of involvement you want at UConn, be open to letting your UConn experience(s) help you grow. This is the time to explore what your passions are and contribute to this campus. The skills and lessons you learn will transcend your time here and will help you reflect on areas where you want to grow. Whether you join one organization or ten, get involved. Constantly think about what you can do for these groups and what they can do for you. Embracing the growth you experience will help you go farther than you could ever imagine.
What is one little known fact about you?: You know those obscure PBS documentaries that you used to watch in elementary school? I acted in one of those! It was a part of their “Young American Heroes” series and I played Elisha Stockwell in “The Elisha Stockwell Story.” Because of this, I have an IMDb page! However, it hasn’t been touched since freshman year when it was filmed and someone updated my nickname to “mah dude,” so there’s that.