Driven, dedicated, and utterly dependable, Ryan Kelleher is the ultimate representation of what it means to be a Siena Saint. You’ve probably seen him running around campus in a suit on his way to a Student Senate meeting on Tuesday, heading to the SSU for the Student Event Board meeting on Monday, or showing his school spirit in a Siena t-shirt on SINO Thursdays. After only a brief interview, it became very clear that no one is as dedicated to this campus as Ryan is. Read on to find out more about Ryan and a sneak peek of what he has in store for us.
Name: Ryan KelleherHometown: Clifton Park, NY Year: Class of 2018Major: Double Major in Political Science and French with the Pre-Law Certificate Favorite Snack Food: Cheese and CrackersFavorite Movie: Amelie (French Movie)
Her Campus Siena: So, Ryan, what are you involved in on campus?
Ryan: I am currently the Student Senate Student Events Board Representative. With that position, I sit on the Student Senate on tuesdays when we meet and then I also sit on the SEB board and those meetings are on Mondays. My role is reporting to each board what the other board is doing. I am the liaison between Student Senate and Student Events Board. I make sure those two organizations are working together as one and are on the same page with all of the different events that are going on here at Siena. Other than the Senate SEB Rep, I am also Treasurer of Pre-Law Society here at Siena. We are the main programmer for all things Pre-Law here on campus.We work on doing trips in the Capital Region, specifically down to Albany for the different courthouses. We just had an LSAT prep course held here, taught by two professors at Albany Law School. They came here and visited Siena just to talk about the LSAT in general, getting our students ready to take that test. It’s a nice thing to be able to promote law and the different organizations under Pre-Law Society. Last but not least, I am proudly the President of the Model United Nations team here at Siena. I did Model UN last year as one of the main delegates and I am now the President and Head Delegate. At Model UN, we focus on different issues. This year we will have a monthly theme, from economic issues to social issues to humanitarian issues in order to prepare our delegates for the Harvard National United Nations conference. It really opens up students to the international world that we live in with the issues that we are facing in our world. So that’s what I do.
Her Campus Siena: Well that’s quite a bit. Out of all of those, which is your favorite?
Ryan: My favorite is the SEB Student Senate Rep. I take pride in getting to sit on two fantastic leadership boards here at Siena. I really enjoy going from SEB that plans fun events for the Siena and that our students are engaged and having fun. They are really building that sense of community here at Siena. Then on Tuesdays I go to Senate and there we really work on issues facing the student body. We take what students might say very, very seriously. We want to promote the sense that we are here for the community and we want to better the student experience here at Siena.
Her Campus Siena: With so many leadership roles, I have to ask, what are your future career aspirations?
Ryan: For my aspirations, I would like to law school after I graduate. Over the summer I visited Boston University and Harvard Law Schools. I plan on looking at New York University and Columbia Law, too. I would also like to further explore the Science Politique in Paris to receive my JD in international law. I would like to work with either the United Nations, the State Department, or potentially do work in Europe with the European Union.
Her Camous Siena: Do you have a public figure, whether they be famous or on-campus, who you look up to?
Ryan: Obviously the Queen. I look up to the British Royal Family, in particular Her Majesty the Queen. As geekish as it might sound, the Queen has been a sovereign power for sixty-three years and I find it very inspiring that she has dedicated her life to the United Kingdom and her work to the people of the United Kingdom. She has never tired in serving her people, making sure she is representing the interest of the British people and I really look up to that. I aspire to that. As a student leader I want to be that solid rock and that solid foundation, that people can come up to me and talk to me about issues they might be having and I want people to see me as a solid leader. As a person that will dedicate their next three years to Siena and to the betterment of this campus.
Her Camous Siena: Any advice for others on how to get involved on campus?
Ryan: I would have to say to get involved here at Siena, go to a club meeting that you might be interested in. Honestly, joining clubs on campus that really fit where you are going is the best thing that someone could do, regardless of the school that you are going to. Clubs connect people of similar ideas and I think, we here at Siena, have some of the best clubs anywhere out of any other college or university. All of our students who are in clubs are very committed to what they are doing, they are very passionate about not only working within their clubs and with their club members, but also about giving back to the community and working with the community. The clubs here really make Siena a unique and special place.
Her Campus Siena: So do you have any other plans for your next three years here at Siena?
Ryan: For my next three years, I would certainly like to continue working with Student Senate. I am actively exploring higher positions in the Student Senate. I really think I would like to continue working with the student body. From all of the wonderful opportunities that I have received, not only from Senate but also from Student Events Board, that I want to work even more with the student population and connect with them. Student Government Association is a body of students that here are here to represent the student voice; we want to work with the students. I want every student here at Siena to know that I will dedicate my next three years to the betterment of Siena College and to the betterment of the student body. I will work tirelessly to make Siena College the best that it can be.