By: Elizabeth Connolly
Posted In: News
Photo credit: Salve Athletics
Mindy Ryan poses on the ground (at left) with some of her teammates in Florida.
Senior Nursing Major Mindy Ryan was born in rural West Salem, Ohio sixty miles from Cleveland. When looking at colleges, Mindy decided to go far from home and try out New England. Having family friends in Boston, Mindy looked at colleges nearby and fell in love with Salve.
Starting out as a freshman at soccer preseason, Mindy said she was homesick for the weekend and that was it. After meeting many great friends, Mindy felt right at home in the Salve community. Imagine going to college 13 hours away and only being able to go home for Christmas and the summer, but Mindy says that’s what makes going home so special. For two years, Mindy participated in two varsity sports at Salve – soccer and softball. As the demands for nursing got more challenging, Mindy had to focus on just one sport, softball. Between nursing clinicals at 6 a.m., softball practice, work, and homework, Mindy Ryan is one busy girl. “It keeps me focused on what I have to do,” commented Ryan. Mindy has been the co-captain of the softball team for two years. Fellow captain, Corrine Karman described Mindy as “an extremely hard worker on and off the field…a true leader. She is reliable, loyal, down to earth, and one of the nicest people I have met here at Salve. It has been my privilege to be her teammate and I am also proud to call her my friend.” In addition to softball, Mindy is a student athelete mentor (SAM). The SAM serves as peer support for an athletic team. Ryan is also in SNO, the Student Nursing Organization, which serves the Newport community with regard to health related issues. Mindy has taken part in the Salve Regina Relay for Life for the past three years. She is also a work-study student in the University Purchasing Office in Ochre Court. Even with how busy Mindy gets, she has loved every minute of her time at Salve. When asked where she pictured herself after graduation, Mindy Ryan laughed. She said, “I am looking into nursing positions back home, in Rhode Island, and even possibly in Texas.” Mindy added if there was one more thing she could have found the time to do, it was to study abroad. After having so many accomplishments at Salve, whatever hospital Mindy ends up working with will be lucky to have her!
