Ryan Bye is the Director Strategy and Partnerships for the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs.
Can you give me a brief timeline of how your career led you to UIS?
I spent the past 11 years working in various roles within Student Affairs at Valparaiso University, most recently serving as the Director of Student Involvement and New Student Programs. In this role, I oversaw new student orientation programs—including those for first-year, transfer, graduate, and international students—along with student organizations, campus traditions, a thriving fraternity and sorority community and volunteer programs. As I began looking at new opportunities this role at UIS was perfect as it allows me to play a role in advancing the student experience at UIS!
What do you like about your job?
I love my job! One of my favorite aspects is working with incredible colleagues, both within and outside my division. Every day, I have the opportunity to collaborate with people who are deeply committed to enhancing the Prairie Star experience.
Do you have any side projects or personal goals you are working on?
I just started the Doctor of Public Administration program here at UIS! I am excited to be back in the classroom again and working towards this personal goal.
My grandparents, who are my role models, always stressed the importance of education and so as I have worked through both my educational and professional journey, I have known that I wanted to pursue a doctoral education. My research interest are postsecondary access and policy, experiences of deaf students in higher education and the impact of student retention initiatives.
Have you traveled to any interesting places?
My wife, my four-year-old daughter and I love traveling to the Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan. It is simply one of the most beautiful places in the world. Nestled between Lake Michigan and the Grand Traverse Bay, there are so many places to hike, relax on the lake, or just enjoy the sights. If you ever have a chance to go - head over to Sutton's Bay Cider to enjoy the view!
Do most consider you a morning bird or a night owl?
I am 100% a morning person (the older I get the earlier I wake up). I would much rather go to bed earlier so I can wake up and work on a project, task or just have some quiet time to read. I just recently finished The Great Divide, a historical fiction about the building of the Panama Canal.
Getting to Know You is recurring feature in the Chancellor's Newsletter to highlight our many talented UIS employees.