CULTIVATING COMMUNITY
Aſter working at a YMCA during high school, Byrd decided to get involved at the Dowd YMCA in South End to build deeper connections with the Charlote community. With Queens being just minutes up the road from the center of the city, he was grateful that he could learn about the practice of yoga while being immersed in a diverse, multigenerational and multicultural community center.
“Queens’ curriculum and amazing community of people have created a space for me to grow in ways I could have never imagined,” Byrd said. “I have been able to conduct research about topics that interest me with intentional guidance from faculty. The support of staff and faculty is unmatched.”
NURTURED GROWTH IN THE QUEENS EMBRACE
When asked about who has impacted him most during his time as a student, Byrd expressed that it is hard to narrow it down because of the long list of individuals who have influenced him at Queens. He expresses gratitude for the guidance of Darryl White Sr. ’92, MSTOD ’21, assistant dean of diversity, inclusion and community engagement, as well as LaDarius Thompson, Ed.D., director of academic community engagement.
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“Mr. White serves as a father figure to many on campus and is always quick to lend an ear or offer wisdom,” said Byrd. “I am also grateful to Dr. Thompson. He inspires me by always being unapologetically himself. He was the person who really saw potential in my mindfulness practice and invested in my
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collection of singing bowls so I could share this practice with the Queens community.”
These mentors share similar sentiments about Byrd’s influence on campus.
“Ryan has demonstrated exceptional leadership on campus through his commitment to fostering inclusivity and promoting positive change and civic engagement,” Thompson explained. “His ability to connect with diverse groups of individuals and inspire them to work towards common goals is truly commendable. Ryan’s dedication to creating a supportive and welcoming environment has leſt a lasting impact on our campus community.”
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