Senior Spotlight: Ryan Yurczyk

Photo+by+William+Moss%2FSubmitted

Photo by William Moss/Submitted

by Daria Mather, Staff Writer

Graduating: May 2019
Hometown: Holdingford, Minnesota
Major: Biology/ Pre-nursing
Minor: Theatre
Campus involvement: SAE, Theater, Honorary Theater Fraternity Alpha Psi Omega

Q: Why did you choose Simpson?

A: Mainly because I got an email about it. From that, I saw they were big with theatre and music, and that’s kind of what I was into at the time. And I liked the accelerated nursing program they had. This was also the only college I actually visited because I liked how small it was.

Q: Do you like being in SAE?

A: Oh yeah, I love it. It’s definitely one of the things that changed my life, I guess. It kind of directed everything for me here at Simpson. It helped develop my friend group. Same with theatre, I guess.

Q: What are you most excited for about your second semester of senior year?

A: Well, it’s not going to be easier, that’s for sure. I’m more excited to make my last semester count the most. Try to make the most out of it and try not to miss out on opportunities that I have pushed off to the side in the past.

Q: What’s your favorite Simpson memory?

A: It’s kind of between two of them because they’re the ones that shaped my whole experience at Simpson. The first one, being in “Noises Off” my freshman year, which was one of the theatre productions they did here. Coming into Simpson I didn’t plan on being in theatre at all really. A lot of my friends I made first semester were trying out for all the shows so I was like, “OK, I did this in high school, might as well try it here,” and I was the only first-year that got into the show. Being with all those seniors and learning from them and pushing me to continue with theatre shaped why I minored in theatre.

The second one, joining SAE because without that, I wouldn’t be where I am today with the friendships and everything I’ve made.

Q: Favorite Simpson tradition?

A: Definitely the stomp routine. I did that two years but sadly couldn’t this year. I love everything that goes into that and doing it at the end, it all pays off. Bingo is always fun. Greek Week is always a good time because you get to come together with all the Greek houses and do a whole bunch of activities together.

Q: Do you have any advice for underclassmen?

A: My main advice would be that you get out of college what you put into it. So you want to go out and join as many clubs as you can, as you can handle. Try to go for leadership positions within that because that’s how you learn and that’s how you gain more experience and that will help you later on in the future.

Q: Do you have any final thoughts?

A: You get out of this whole college experience what you put into it, so focusing on studies, joining activities and being able to regulate that. It shapes you into who you end up being later on in life and sets you off in that direction for your life. It’s such a learning experience in so many different magnitudes. It’s hard to encompass all that.