July 6, 1987 – February 28, 2009

I met Ryan in the fall of 2008 as she was my UNCW communications “mentee”. Looking for resume critiques, interview best practices and job searching advice, in the end Ryan taught me more than I could have ever taught her.

Ryan was an amazing student. What I remember most about her was her smile and her constant positive energy. I had the pleasure of meeting her a handful of times and she was always eager to learn, full of questions and writing down notes. She shadowed me and sat in on a client conference call, we discussed her resume, critiqued her portfolio and discussed interview questions and potential responses. I could tell instantly Ryan strived for the best in life no matter the size of the task.

I was so proud of her when she landed her first interview in Raleigh, which unfortunately she was never able to attend because she left this life at the tender age of 21. As Ryan looks down on us and many of us cannot comprehend why she was taken from us so early, be consoled knowing she will always be with each and every one of us who had the pleasure of knowing her. Listen to the lessons she taught us and live in the moment. We will miss you Ryan. Thank you for touching my life.