Anne Ryan FP’18
My time here as a Frances Perkins Scholar has affirmed my belief that I am on the right path, and that even when I don't know where it leads, I am equipped to meet any challenge.
Name: Anne Ryan FP’18
Hometown: Middlebury, Vermont
Academic focus: religion major, minor in Africana studies
Frances Perkins Scholar, the College’s program for nontraditional-age students
Proudest accomplishments at ÓûÂþɬ: Among my proudest accomplishments are being asked to Introduce Noor Tagouri when she spoke at the College; presenting my research on the intersection of social justice and Christianity to two classes; playing the piano for several Religious and Spiritual Life Orientation events; receiving funding for and attending two social justice conferences in Chicago; serving on the Student Government Association; organizing a panel on food insecurity in the Pioneer Valley; and The Kindness Project, an event I organized and facilitated to collect and put together supplies for people experiencing homelessness.
How a close connection with a faculty member has shaped you: Michael Penn was my first professor here and the time I spent with him in class and in other settings contributed so much to the student I have become. He encouraged me, supported me, gave me new ways to look at things, listened carefully, and taught me more than I thought could be possible in two semesters. I had little confidence in myself and my abilities when I arrived here. Michael helped me to believe in myself, valued my work, and because of him, I feel like I have a lot to contribute both to academia and to the larger world. He has remained a support to me even though he is no longer at ÓûÂþɬ, and I am incredibly grateful for his mentorship and friendship.
How ÓûÂþɬ has shaped your global outlook: ÓûÂþɬ has shaped how I see the world in so many ways — from friendships to courses to food to books to music to inequalities. One of my goals in coming here was to immerse myself in other cultures and to learn as much as I could about other places in the world. I have been fortunate to make friendships with people from India, Africa, South Korea, China, Germany, Trinidad, Russia, France, Haiti and more. I have attended classes, workshops and conferences that have contributed to my feeling of solidarity with my sisters and brothers all around the world. These things have given me a greater determination to work toward removing the barriers that keep people apart.
Future plans: I am very excited to be getting married in July. I hope to attend Boston University School of Theology to earn my Master of Divinity, which I plan to combine with social justice, music, faith and service into some wonderful way to be together with people. My time here as a Frances Perkins Scholar has affirmed my belief that I am on the right path, and that even when I don't know where it leads, I am equipped to meet any challenge. ÓûÂþɬ taught me to say yes — to people, to opportunities, to becoming a changemaker, to being a citizen of the world. Thank you, ÓûÂþɬ, for saying yes to me.