Big Picture Thinking

If you had told Ryan Moran ’20 when she first stepped onto the Regis campus that she would become co-captain of the swim team or that she would be taking courses towards her master’s degree before even finishing her junior year, she would not have believed you. “Regis helped me find a confidence in myself that I didn’t have before,” Ryan says. “There are so many things that I never thought I could do, but with Regis’ help and guidance, I am achieving so many things I never thought were possible.”

One of five children, Ryan is grateful to have received the full-tuition Presidential Catholic Schools Scholarship that opened the door to Regis. “As soon as I stepped foot on campus, I could see myself attending school here. I loved the atmosphere,” Ryan recalls. “When I received the scholarship, it was a sign. The scholarship has helped my parents tremendously; they sacrificed so much for me and my siblings to attend private, catholic high schools.”

Ryan credits her professors, Sue Carroccino and Lisa Fardy, for helping her discover a new found passion in public health and her current advisor, Leslie Mandel, for her guidance and expertise in the field. Combining her desire to help people with her love for research and data has led her to specialize in epidemiology and focus on the big picture solutions to public health. “I have learned to not just dream about the things I want. I have to go and get them myself, and Regis taught me ways to do that,” Ryan says.   

Ryan participated in a social isolation project at the Bethany Health Center where students researched how isolation and loneliness affects residents in a nursing home. “It was an amazing experience where I learned valuable leadership skills, how to conduct an interview, and how to use NVivo, a qualitative data analysis computer software designed for qualitative research and deep levels of analysis.” Ryan says. “All of these skills will help me in my future after Regis.”

After graduating, Ryan plans to earn a master’s degree at Regis in public health and specialize in epidemiology. She is part of Regis’ combined Bachelor’s/Master’s program which allows her to take up to three courses for graduate credit while completing her bachelor’s degree. “I wanted to continue my education at Regis and this is the perfect opportunity for me to fast track my way to a master’s in just one year and enter the field early.”