eight children often worked two jobs, putting in long hours that often left her children to fend for themselves while she was trying to support her family. “She would come home and say ‘If you’d go to college, I would have been home six hours ago,’” remembered Ross. “It really stuck for me and I realized I didn’t want to live that hard and wanted to figure out how to live differently. That’s how that first idea of college got in my head – I didn’t know how I was going to go, or how it was going to look, but I knew I wanted to try.” After graduating from Nebraska Wesleyan University, Ross returned to Denver and worked with the Department of Corrections for a short time. This experience, however, did not fit with Ross’ philosophy of wanting to influence people in a way that could make a profound impact, and he began mentoring in public schools through the organization Denver Kids. Around this same time, Ross made the decision that he would like to work in higher education, and through his networking at CCD met Yvette Hunt, then director of the Educational Opportunity Center, who helped him pursue graduate school and enter a career at CCD. “She said that she was retiring in two and a half years so I had two years to get a degree,” said Ross with a laugh. The motivated young professional enrolled at Colorado State University in the Organizational Performance and Change Program, while working as a counselor in the CCD Educational Opportunity Center. By the time Ross received his master’s degree in 2005, he was the director of the CCD Educational Talent Search, and by the end of 2006, had achieved the position of director of the Educational Opportunity Center. In his recently acquired role as dean of student development and retention, Ross is responsible for all student services at the college: everything from academic advising to helping with the needs of students with disabilities or language barriers. He oversees seven departments, all with the similar mission of really wanting to serve students. His focus is on the first year experience of students, so as individuals begin their post-secondary journeys, they learn to understand the process, connect with others, and advocate for themselves. In 2009, Ross created the ASSET Center at CCD, a “one stop shop” where students can receive all the services they need to aid in their success. “I love CCD because the whole core mission of the school is about access and opportunity,” said Ross. “That is what my whole life has been about.”
RYAN ROSS
Denver's Role Model For Promoting Inclusiveness By Misti Aas
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ducation and diversity are two areas that have always held a special place in the heart and soul of Ryan Ross. The dean of students and retention at Community College of Denver (CCD) began his post-secondary educational journey at Nebraska Wesleyan, a small liberal arts school in Lincoln, earning a bachelor of arts in psychology with an emphasis in diversity and leadership. While at Wesleyan, he pledged Kappa Alpha Psi and is now the president of the Denver Alumni Chapter. “Being one of the only students of color at Wesleyan afforded me opportunities to be on diversity panels,” explained Ross. “I’d like to say they chose me because I was smart, but sometimes when you’re one of the only African Americans, you get unique opportunities.” The 30-year-old mentor, author, and entrepreneur has had a life filled with unique opportunities. As a young teenager, the Denver native was slated to begin high school at Manual, but his path changed when he received an opportunity from the Byrne Urban Scholars Foundation to attend Mullen High School, a private Roman Catholic school in Denver. The experience tested his character and determination. “In order to get to Mullen by 8:05 a.m., I had to catch
several buses and my first bus came at 5:30,” he marveled. “I was up every morning about 4:45 a.m.” Mullen was a culture shock in the mid 1990s, and one of Ross’ first lessons in the importance of diversity and the struggle to overcome racism. Up until this time, Ross had never been outside his own neighborhood, where everyone looked like him, or at least shared similar characteristics. “I remember my first day at Mullen getting off the bus and walking across the street into the parking lot and seeing Mercedes Benzes, Vipers, and all these cars that lawyers and doctors should be driving,” said Ross. “It was the students who had these cars, and I felt uncertain and a little inadequate.” Ross learned to deal with racial slurs and people wearing Confederate belt buckles, but he said he wouldn’t trade the experience of the negatives, along with the positives at Mullen High School, as it prepared him for what real life can bring. “You really learn who you are as a person and how to deal with challenges the right way,” he said. Educational experiences were never taken lightly in Ross’ home environment, and he attributes his mother as his greatest inspiration. She always encouraged her children to do something more than what they were already doing. The single mom of
Denver Urban Spectrum — www.denverurbanspectrum.com – August 2011
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Ross is also currently working towards his doctorate in educational leadership and innovation from the University of Colorado Denver, and has only his dissertation to complete. His research is in success strategies in African American and Latino males. “You hear all the bad things, all the poor graduation and performance rates,” said Ross. “So my question is: what about the guys who are successful? Have you heard from them? There is success out there, and we need to build on that.” In addition to his career at CCD and his own continuing educational advancement, Ross is president and founder of Stirred-Up Enterprises, a motivational speaking and educational services boutique that provides innovative educational consulting, coaching, and workshops on working with diverse populations, leadership, networking, and self-actualization. Also a soon-to-be-published author, Ross is working on a book entitled Who’s Sitting at Your Round Table: A Guide to Positive Networking. It will include 10 principles for everyone, but specifically designed for college students, on how to start increasing one’s social capital to make life work for them. “It’s been put on the back burner for a moment due to my dissertation,” added Ross. Ross has been married to Simone Daniel for four years. They knew each other since childhood, but really began spending time together while he was in college. “She is amazing and I love her to death,” said Ross. The two now have the apple of their eyes, one-and-a-half-year-old Gavin Ross. “My greatest accomplishment is my son,” said Ross with pride. “A lot of things I do are because of him. I want him to see that it is important to give back to the community, and ultimately I want for Gavin to have a nice environment, a great Denver to live in.” Echoing his mother’s philosophy, Ross believes that education is the greatest challenge for youth, and feels that everything is education based; the need is everywhere to have a degree to do almost anything. “I think education is the civil rights issue of right now,” emphasized Ross. His mantra that he lives by is twofold: Don’t settle on being good when you’re destined to be great; and you’ve got to make your life your leadership, and your leadership your life. “There are a lot of people who have touched my life and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to thank all the people who have made a difference,” said Ross. “It’s important that people know that they can’t get anywhere by themselves. Hold on to the mentors you have, and the people who impact your life.”