Sunni Ryan, Class of 2017
Sunni Ryan, originally from Raleigh, graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in GlobalStudies and French and a minor in Communication. Today, Sunni is the Executive Director ofRefugee Youth Solidarity through Education (RYSE). Read below to learn more about Sunni’sexperience with Watauga Global Community and her current role with RYSE.
Tell me about your current role.
I am the Executive Director of Refugee Youth Solidarity through Education (RYSE), a
Providence-based nonprofit that fosters literacy, confidence, and community among refugee
youth in the form of a free, five-week summer camp. I am responsible for staff management and
organizational operations, but also the strategic developments for RYSE’s long term growth and
evolution. It is an absolute privilege; this job is pure joy.
How did your experiences in Watauga shape your professional life?
Watauga cultivated a practice of creative thinking and a depth to relationship-building that has
undoubtedly shaped my professional approach. I heavily value the community that surrounds
my work – their needs, their ideas, their growth. This perspective has made the product of my
work more sustainable and impactful. Watauga also made me brave. Its unconventional nature
empowered me to reimagine what my career could look like and encouraged me to forge my
own path.
What advice would you give to an incoming Wataugan?
Lean in. Watauga is an opportunity to expand the way that you think, learn, and relate to others.
You will get what you give, so show up. Give yourself generously.
Becca Ploener (she/her), Class of 2020
Tell me about your current role?
I own a business called Wild Woman Coaching and Kayak Instruction! I help outdoor enthusiasts
with their head game so they feel safe, secure and satisfied with their adventures and their life.
It's actually only partially about whitewater kayaking and outdoor sports and majorly about using
those activities as a tool for personal growth to build mental resilience, cope with fear, and genuinely
feel the most themselves they can be.
What did you study while at App State?
Psychology
What advice would you give a current Wataugan?
Your quirks are very likely to be your biggest strengths.
How did Watuaga help you grow?
Being a member of Watauga taught me to look at life through a creative and curious lens. I question
everything. I don't follow the social flow simply because... I create my own norms and challenge
popular beliefs. Watauga also encouraged me through the inquiry and experiential learning. I've always
kind of despised traditional learning styles and Watauga gave me full permission to lean into finding
ways that I can thrive instead of trying to fit myself into a box.
Mariah Hydzik, Class of 2019
Tell me about your current role?
I am a physician at AppFamily Medicine/Watauga Medical Center completing my residency in rural family medicine.
As a family physician I provide holistic and comprehensive healthcare for patients of all gender identities and ages.
My personal clinical interests include reproductive mental health, addiction medicine, and adolescent medicine. I am
passionate about improving psychiatric healthcare access in rural areas through primary care and community
collaboration. I have truly been enjoying getting to know my patients thus far and I feel honored to be back in Boone.
What did you study while at App State?
Exercise Science (Pre-health professional concentration)
What advice would you give a current Wataugan?
Don’t be afraid of what you do not know and opportunities that are uncomfortable (within reason). Be mindful
to be present in every interaction with everyone you meet on and off campus. Following your passion will lead
you to your profession. Go outside as much as you can and do NOT take these mountains for granted.
How did Watuaga help you grow?
Watauga Residential College as a whole challenged me to explore my interests critically and creatively. Watauga’s
supportive faculty, thought provoking curriculum, and spirit of curiosity encouraged me to embrace my own
curiosity and inspired my pursuit of medicine. Watauga strengthened my affinity for “thinking outside of the box”,
taught me to do so effectively, and I continue to apply this philosophy to my career. This perspective has
continuously led me to many unique and exciting opportunities in medicine to express my creativity and advocate
for community causes. Very importantly, the humans I met and lived with in the LLC encouraged me to be myself.
Interpersonal collaboration continues to teach me about the world that my patients and I live in.
Abhaya Velmani, Class of 2022
Tell me about your current role?
I just completed a year in AmeriCorps as a VISTA, supporting communities in poverty in the CSRA region of Georgia.
Within my particular site, I educated community partners and families on a program called "The Basics." It teaches
simple ways to make the most out of a child's formative years so that they do better in elementary school and
beyond. I am beginning my law school journey this fall, hoping to further develop my professional skill-sets while
learning about our legal system. While my background has generally centered the humanities, it is still interdisciplinary.
So, I am not sure yet what field of law will be optimal for me. My "dream" would be a role that combines leadership,
social justice, and interpersonal connection.
What did you study while at App State?
Bachelor's('22): English Literary Studies, Master's('23): Romance languages, Spanish College Teaching concentration
What advice would you give a current Wataugan?
Unlearn your fear of networking! It is not a word exclusive to events with people in business professional attire. It really
is about showing up to the mentors, professors, classmates, leaders, etc. around you cordially, but as yourself! Honor
these folks as invaluable resources, be in spontaneous or planned conversation with them, and ask and be asked
questions, and see where that takes you.
How did Watuaga help you grow?
It gave me the space to grow as a person, student, and leader all at once. As an 18 year old entering college, I was yet
to learn that such roles were yes unique but also deeply intertwined. Through dedicated mentors, meaningful
friendships, and unique opportunities at WRC, I understood how to embrace that complexity within myself. This foundation
helped me embrace complexity outside myself and see it less of a burden and more of a gift. Whether it be coworkers,
fellow classmates, or community leaders, or family, I show up to people with more integrity because I see them(and myself)
as human beings with diverse and rich backgrounds--not simply as fillers of "XYZ" role. I owe a lot of this ability to my first few
years of college being integrated with WRC.
Michael Lewis, Class of 1996
Tell me about your current role?
Psychotherapist, Professor, Spiritual Leader, Mountain Guide
What did you study while at App State?
Recreation Management with a concentration in Outdoor Experiential Education
What advice would you give a current Wataugan?
To the new Wataugan, my advice is to be just as, or actually much more, open to seeing the world and yourself
in new ways as you are to standing behind your beliefs and wanting to influence others. The current perceptions
of yourself and of reality are all illusions and holding on to them will only slow down your spiritual, psychological,
and social development. Be an empty cup, and keep emptying that cup as much as you can, every day.
How did Watuaga help you grow?
Dr. Jay Wentworth had a monumental impact on the direction of my life. Jay introduced me and my fellow
students to a variety of spiritual, religious, psychological, philosophical, artistic, and historical ideologies and
practices that served as a catalyst to my life pursuits in similar subjects and lifestyles. The Watauga College's
approach to education created space for me to explore my own internal experiences as they related to information
I was receiving. The program made room for a variety of personal expressions and brought people of diverse
backgrounds and beliefs together to explore reality and dissolve false impressions.