“If you don’t have integrity, you don’t have anything.” –Dr. Cynthia Ryan
Often times, we, as students, struggle finding the time to juggle all of our responsibilities while also trying to define purpose in our professional and personal lives. It can seem a little daunting to incorporate your passion into your life’s work. The good news is that it is possible to combine multiple aspects of your life to create an extremely rewarding career. The featured speaker at the 2015 Writing and Rhetoric Symposium has done just that, and is offering the advice we need for making it happen.
I recently had the pleasure of talking with Dr. Cynthia Ryan of the University of Alabama about how she turned her life experience into an opportunity to give back to her community. Dr. Ryan is a breast cancer survivor, English professor, and founder of a breast cancer awareness program for the homeless called Street Smarts.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer at twenty-nine during her first year of PhD studies, Dr. Ryan immersed herself into a community of women who shared her experience. While reading an article about homeless women suffering from breast cancer, she felt compelled to affect positive change in these women’s lives. Not long after, Dr. Ryan founded Street Smarts. Today, Street Smarts provides a spa-like atmosphere for homeless women suffering from breast cancer as well as support for daily activities, such as accompanying women to doctor’s appointments or on routine shopping trips.
Dr. Ryan attributes her success to being honest with the people around her. As a child from a large family in a rural, farming community, she learned the importance of communicating and openly expressing her opinion. Her education and cancer diagnosis taught her the importance of staying true to herself. She states that her journey has given her the ability to unapologetically say, “This is what I have to do for me…this is what I am passionate about and care for.” Dr. Ryan’s authenticity and determination enable her to make a positive difference in her community. Incorporating all aspects of her story into her life’s work empowered her to form long-lasting relationships in a community that holds special meaning to her.
When trying to find a foothold in a community, whether for professional or personal motives, it is imperative to be yourself. In college, you try on many different hats in order to find your niche. Remaining true to yourself during that process will lead you to the exact communities you long to join. There is nothing people appreciate more than authenticity. Choose to participate in things that fulfill you and help share your truth.
Of the many pieces of wisdom Dr. Ryan shared with me during our conversation, the greatest was “Don’t be afraid to do something your passionate about because it doesn’t fit in the rubric, because that is what is going to make you stand out.” Remember you control your impact on the world; be yourself and trust your story.
Stop by the 2015 Writing and Rhetoric Symposium on March 25, 2015 in the Student Union at 9:30 AM to hear Dr. Ryan’s presentation “A Good Place to Start: Strategies for Winding Your Way into Public Conversations.” The symposium will feature guest speakers, faculty panels, and student showcases.
Be sure to like UCF Department of Writing and Rhetoric on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @UCF_DWR and #everydayrhetoric
Photo courtesy of the Univeristy of Alabama – Birmingham