Mickey's Educational Fund for Cal and Shelby

Instead of flowers, please consider donating to assist my sister, Shelby, and me with our educational expenses. My dad was constantly encouraging us to pursue as much education as possible. Like Churchill, his mantra was Never Give In. Never, Never, Never. These words have always resonated with my sister and me. My dad believed that knowledge could take you anywhere; for him, it really did. My dad used his assemblage of skills to touch so many people's lives, whether he was working in law, social work, or sales. My dad's work ethic was robust, unwavering, and honestly inspiring for Shelby and me. The summer before my freshman year at St. Mary's College of Maryland, he read book after book and made call after call to secure as much financial aid for me as possible. Before I even stepped on campus, he was best friends with the financial aid staff. For my sister, he did the same thing, calling her high school to ensure that she had the academic support to succeed. He did everything in his power to ensure we had everything we needed to succeed.

Education and knowledge were truly at the heart of everything my dad did. He was incredibly intelligent but was also sure to ask questions about things he didn't understand. I cherish the intellectual conversations that we had, specifically those about politics and social justice issues. His thirst for knowledge was contagious and definitely rubbed off on Shelby and me.

Shelby and I are both aspiring to complete graduate levels of education. Shelby is currently in her senior year at Elizabeth Seton High School and is hoping to attend Champlain College in the Fall to pursue a bachelor's degree in psychology to ultimately become a psychiatrist. I graduated Phi Beta Kappa this past Spring with my bachelor's degree in sociology from St. Mary's College of Maryland. I am currently pursuing my Master of Social Work, just like my pops, at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Of course, with big dreams come big expenses. Shelby and I sincerely appreciate anything you are willing to contribute to our education funds, and we hope to have half the impact on other people's lives that our dad had on ours.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

With love,

Calvin Ryan