Ryan's career has taken him across the country and the globe, but he has always remained connected to CEE. He engaged with alumni networks while living in Houston and remains equally involved as a young professional working for RWE as a Project Controls Manager in Chicago. Now, he hopes to help current students have the same opportunities he did through contributing to scholarships within the department.

Why did you decide to study civil engineering?

From a very young age I was always interested in building things. My grandfather was also an engineer and so the idea of going into engineering was something that really interested me as well. As I got to high school, and began thinking about college, my draw to civil was to eventually work in building and managing heavy infrastructure projects and bridges – key elements of our society and how our cities function.

How did your time as a civil engineering student at the University of Illinois prepare you for your professional career?

Having started with CEE interested in a career of building bridges and ending up building mega-projects in the energy and life sciences industries, I am very grateful for the path my career and life have taken. And it was the resources in school – the incredible staff, programs like GLCM (Global Leaders in Construction Management) – as well as the alumni that offered me advice when I was still in school and just after I graduated that helped me get there. This is why giving back is so important to me now, to hopefully be able to support similar journeys for today’s Illini.

The first time you decided to give to the department was when several colleagues pledged donations to the CEE Modernization project in 2017. What inspired you to join them?

I remember thinking how awesome it was that we had such a large group of us that were all interested in contributing to the project. For me it really represented how tightly knit our alumni community can be.

Since then, you've remained a generous supporter of the department, most recently making a donation to the Young Engineers Division Scholarship Fund. What motivated you to give to this scholarship?

I think YED is a fantastic organization and as soon as I found out about the opportunity to support, I was very interested in helping. The connections young alumni make are so important and I really benefited myself from being able to serve as a mentor to a recent graduate in their mentorship program. I hope my contribution to the scholarship fund is not only able to help the students who receive it, but also to inspire others to get involved with YED and make connections within their alumni network.

Why do you think donating to scholarships is an important way to give back to the department?

Outside of the financial benefits, I think scholarships and many of the awards given by CEE also represent a challenge and encouragement from past CEE alums to today’s students: to continue carrying the torch for the department – keep innovating, keep building, and keep representing our great University in the best possible way! I know when I received scholarships and recognition from CEE when I was in school, they really helped to motivate me to keep achieving. I hope that the YED Scholarship similarly helps CEE students today.

What is your advice to fellow alumni looking for ways to show their support?

I would encourage anyone that is interested in supporting the YED Scholarship Fund, or any scholarship, to reflect back on their time in CEE and think about how your contribution can help support students have the experience that you did. Every contribution counts and collectively all of us can make a huge difference to today’s students in the same way past alumni supported us when we were in school.

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Ryan's story reflects the generosity, gratitude, and global outlook that define Illinois engineers, and his commitment to giving back ensures that the next generation of CEE students receives the same encouragement and opportunities that fueled his own success.

To join Ryan in supporting the YED Scholarship Fund, visit cee.illinois.edu/give

Learn more about other options for giving to the department here.