Ryan Cartwright '06
Information Systems
Baltimore, MD

UMBC: What made you choose UMBC?

RC: My dad is a graduate [Bob Cartwright '80] and it was close to home and has a good academic background. I heard a lot of good things about graduates coming back and the job opportunities in the Baltimore-Washington area. UMBC isn't so huge you'd get lost in, and it's pretty nice now because all the buildings are new and they've created more of an on-campus environment instead of a commuter school when my dad was here.

UMBC: What attracted you to UMBC's athletic program?

RC: I actually knew the coach! He used to coach at a high school when I was in high school and he had a summer program I got involved in. And I knew a few of the guys on the team from competing against them.

UMBC: What opportunities has the athletic scholarship you received from UMBC afforded you that you might not otherwise have enjoyed?

RC: Meeting all my teammates and being able to travel so I could see the East Coast more. I probably wouldn't have met other athletes on campus if I'd just been a normal student and without the scholarship, I would have gone to another school.

UMBC: As a member of the school's cross country/track team, what sort of practice schedule do you maintain?

RC: We come back to school in August for cross country camp. Then we move back the weekend before the other students move in and we practice year round, except for a break at the holidays. Then we come back in January and practice until May because we compete three seasons a year.

UMBC: How do you balance schoolwork with athletics?

RC: I have a very planned schedule!

UMBC: What would you say about UMBC's athletic program to a potential student?

RC: We have excellent facilitiesówe have a unique indoor track and a brand new turf field. They're going to build new locker rooms. We have a state-of-the-art study lounge inside the athletic center and there's free academic advising there and tutoring. We just got a new rehab center right in the athletic center. It's really moving in the right direction.

UMBC: What is it like to compete for UMBC?

RC: It's good. Some years we're the middle of the pack, some years we're at the front, but we've been improving every year. And we won our conference this past season. We were runners up in track and field and cross country last year and two years ago we moved into the America East Conference, which is a bigger, tougher conference.

UMBC: You won the division championship this year. Talk about that experience.

RC: Coming into the season, there were five of us who were seniors. You never want to leave college without trying to get the championship ‚ that should be everyone's goal. We didn't graduate anyone from last year's team and we had a few good freshmen coming in, so we knew we had a shot. Everything just came together on that day.

People who didn't know you from the other conferences recognize you now. We're not just UMBC anymore, we're a contender, we're a good team.

UMBC: This is another way that you've followed in your dad's (Bob Cartwright, '80 Economics) footsteps, correct?

RC: He was on the team back in '75 and they won the conference his freshman year. They were division II in the Mason Dixon conference. And actually two weeks before our conference they had all the alumni from that team come back to be recognized because it was their 30th reunion. They came and talked to some of the guys on the team. It was very inspirational.

UMBC: What opportunities has UMBC provided to you that you've taken advantage of?

RC: The Shriver Center for one. As soon as you're done your first semester you can sign up at the Shriver Center for a chance to get an internship in the community. My first year I had a life guarding job, but last year I interviewed for a few positions and one was at Black & Decker in Towson. I accepted that and have been working there as an intern since June 2005. I'm working with their servers. We get new servers in and we set them up and make sure they're working so everyone around the world can have access to their computer needs. I was always involved in computers and when I went for the interview I felt right at home, it was such a nice environment. A couple of the guys on the Intel Technology team are younger, only a couple years out of college, so they've been helpful.

UMBC: When you aren't training, in class or at your internship, what do you do for fun?

RC: I like going to the movies and hanging out with my roommates and playing card games. I also enjoy being outdoors, white water rafting, and going to the beach.

UMBC: What have you learned about UMBC that a potential student may be surprised to learn?

RC: It's not a big school so everyone is willing to help you succeed. Teachers are more than happy to spend extra time with you after class. You don't get lost in the classroom or on the campus. At a bigger school you might get stuck in the crowd of freshman or go to a small school and everyone knows you. You can be known or you can fit in with the crowd. You can pick your own path at UMBC.

UMBC: What are your plans for the future and how will your experience at UMBC help you achieve them?

RC: I've been offered a position at Black & Decker fulltime so I'm going to pursue that, and I'm going to go to graduate school either next fall or the following spring for information systems, but I'm not sure what path I want to take. I'm also going to be the assistant coach next year for UMBC's cross country team in charge of recruiting. I've grown close to my coach and I still know a bunch of guys on the team. It's a chance to stay close to the school and grow up while staying young.

UMBC: What wisdom would you pass on to young athlete scholars?

RC: If I knew the things I know now back in high school or as a freshman, I would have been so much better off! If you're going to be an athlete, you need to take things seriously - make sure you keep a steady sleep schedule and maintain a healthy diet. You have to make the four or five year commitment to be a part of the team because you only have one chance to do it.

UMBC: What would you say to those people who provided the funding for your scholarship?

RC: I'd tell them thanks and that I appreciate the opportunity they gave me. It changed my life ‚ I wouldn't be where I am today.

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