One of 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 newest graduates is off to Washington to begin his career and rejoin his family.
Ralph Williams recently reflected on his three-and-a-half-year career at KSU, which included a long list of accolades and achievements. It鈥檚 the bonds built on The Hill that will mean the most, he said.
鈥淚鈥檝e had great professional relationships with my professors, staff members, and community members,鈥� he said. 鈥淎ll the opportunities that I鈥檝e had here have been through someone that I鈥檝e known here and through their help, so I鈥檓 very thankful. I love KSU.鈥�
Williams arrived at KSU from Germany. He knew he wanted to work in the United States, but he didn鈥檛 want to leave family behind entirely. With family members living in nearby Radcliff, Williams explored colleges in Kentucky.
The small size of KSU appealed to him.
鈥淚 just enjoyed the small, family atmosphere,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 felt like it would help me learn better and overall develop as a student and a young man.鈥�
In his freshman year, Williams started attending KSU Board of Regents meetings to learn how things worked at the University. Four years later, he was attending those meetings as a KSU Regent after his election as Student Government Association (SGA) President.
鈥淪ometimes I think our students don鈥檛 fully understand the value of knowledge you can learn at those meetings,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 enjoy it because I get to learn things about K-State that I never knew.鈥�
Serving as a regent, among other activities and experiences, has taught him valuable leadership lessons.
鈥淗ow to be professional, how to work with colleagues even when you don鈥檛 agree, how to be respectful to them, respect each other and uphold the mission of the organization,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think that will translate well into the workforce.鈥�
His higher education resume sparkles as he heads into a new career. He鈥檚 already landed a position with Altria Group Inc. in the Olympia area of Washington. He鈥檒l serve as a territory sales manager. The company is only 10 minutes away from his parents. He鈥檚 thrilled about the reunion with his family.
Williams said the opportunity came about through his participation in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Leadership Institute. Through that initiative, he said he gained valuable leadership experience, professional development, and now, a start to his career.
He was also selected an HBCU All-Star Ambassador for the White House Initiative on HBCUs, which gave him an opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., and advocate for HBCUs. He鈥檚 the recipient of the highly competitive Buick Achievers Scholarship, awarded to students interested in business or STEM areas. He鈥檚 a two-time recipient of Frankfort Mayor William May鈥檚 Citizenship Award.
Williams said what he鈥檒l remember most is the opportunity to help his peers.
鈥淚t could be as simple as helping a student find their way to the financial aid office,鈥� he said. 鈥淥r, helping them start a new organization or getting them help with something that might not even be related to school at all, but still helping them, because a lot of times they don鈥檛 know at all where to go, so they come to you.鈥�
As Williams begins his journey in the workforce, he offers advice to new students at KSU. One of his core values, he said, is initiative.
鈥淭here are a lot of times when, especially as a freshman, you don鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going on, but you have to take the initiative to find out,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 just always wait for someone to tell us what to do when it comes to looking for a scholarship or how to get into an honors society or an internship.鈥�
He said it鈥檚 OK not to know the answer to something, but it鈥檚 not OK to give up.
鈥淎s a freshman, what I did, I would always go and talk to my professors or administration and through that, one, you gain knowledge, and two, it helps you later down the road because when they know your interests, they can help you,鈥� he said.
For example, he said he spent a lot of time in the career center as a freshman. Through time spent there getting to know Ron Banks, now a KSU Regent, he earned an opportunity.
鈥淥ne day I just got an email (over winter break) about an internship with the federal government,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hadn鈥檛 gone to him for that, but he knew that I was interested in finding internships.鈥�
Getting to know Banks opened up a door for Williams he didn鈥檛 know was there.
鈥淪chool wasn鈥檛 even in session, and he said, 鈥楬ey, I think you鈥檇 be interested in this.鈥� He did that because he knew me, he knew what I was interested in, and I wouldn鈥檛 have had that opportunity if I didn鈥檛 take the initiative to go out and meet people here,鈥� Williams said.
On Saturday, May 13, Williams and his classmates left the Frankfort Convention Center as newly minted members of the class of 2017. For Williams, it鈥檚 been a meaningful journey.
鈥淚 always say I came in as a young boy and I鈥檓 thankful to leave now as a young man,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 feel prepared through what KSU has helped me learn.鈥�