36 D'MENSIONS MAGAZINE ALUMNIMAGAZINE.OSU.EDU | 29 support, resources and funding they need to gain independence and fulfillment in their daily lives. “It’s unfortunate what happened to me. Sometimes I get sad or frustrated,” says Ryan, a team captain, all-Big Ten and All-America player during the final two seasons of his Ohio State football career that spanned 2010 through 2014. “It hurts that I can’t play football anymore, but it has been a blessing that I was able to recover and can now help other people.” A first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ryan was a two-time All-Pro linebacker when he was injured December 4, 2017, while making a tackle during a Monday night game in Cincinnati. He sustained a spinal contusion, or a crushing of the spinal cord, which paralyzed his lower body and led to two surgeries and three months in the hospital. Feeling eventually returned to Ryan’s legs, and he regained the strength to not only walk, but dance with his bride, Michelle Rodriguez, at their wedding in May 2019. His new life came with a fresh perspective. “My injury definitely allowed me to be more relatable and allowed me to see through other people’s eyes,” Ryan says. “As an athlete, I was kind of just focused on how I see things and trying to get better at my craft every single day. Well, since I’ve been injured, I see what other people go through — what their lives are like and how tough things can be. It’s allowed me more empathy and understanding.” Curiosity led to that broadening of his view during his intensive rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Rehabilitation Institute. Ryan befriended fellow patients and wondered why some weren’t at rehab sessions five days a week, as he was. They told him about systemic barriers, such as a lack of transportation to appointments and insurance coverage limiting them to 20 or 30 rehab sessions. “It wasn’t fair for those individuals to not get the same opportunities as me,” says Ryan, who had 130 rehab sessions while covered by NFL insurance. Moved to action by those patients and their caregivers and families, Ryan created his foundation, which has grown to serve Pittsburgh, western Pennsylvania and, most recently, eastern Ohio and Columbus. Photos, Jodi Miller (left), Corey Wilson Shtanko recalls first hearing about the opportunity to leave Europe for the United States and attend D’Youville University on a full-ride scholarship. She prepped for living in a new country by watching American movies, and she remembers flying over and landing in New York City for her layover and thinking it looked just like it did in the films. She also found Buffalo to be beautiful, and she fell in love with the view from her freshman dorm room in Marguerite Hall. “I could see the lake from my window, and it was amazing,” she says. “I’d never been outside of Ukraine before, so everything was new and wonderful.” Like the others, overcoming the language barrier was Shtanko’s biggest hurdle that first year. She studied English in high school, but she didn’t quite have the skills — or the confidence — to speak it when she arrived. But, she says, other D’Youville students were quick to help and made the transition easier. “I met a lot of people at school and just outside on the street,” she says. “People here smile at you and make small talk. I was like, ‘wow,’ I didn’t expect people would want to approach me and talk to me. In Ukraine, it’s different.” Part of DiRienzo’s role as liaison for the students was helping them adjust to western life. She says she made sure the students connected with their families as often as they could. In addition to organizing meals at Thanksgiving and other services when the campus was otherwise empty, DiRienzo and her small team introduced the Ukrainian students to little slices of American life — like shopping at a Target or buying groceries. “I remember some had never seen an aerosol can of whipped cream before … I still pick on them for that,” she says. “And at times, the magnitude of what U.S. grocery and retail stores offer is so much greater than stores in Ukraine … which could be overwhelming at first. There, you pretty much have one or two choices for toothpaste. At Target, there’s 20.” Despite the transitions, the barriers, the constant worry of what’s going on back home and tackling all of this while trying to earn a college degree in subjects like chemistry, nursing and business, D’Youville’s Ukrainian students excelled during their time in Buffalo, DiRienzo says. “They’re just so committed,” she says. Their GPAs are stellar — between 3.5 and 4.0. They’re focused on their academics, and they appreciate what’s been given to them. That’s not something you always see from students in this country who have been afforded this opportunity. I’ve just been so impressed by how committed they’ve been to not wasting this gift and making a difference in this world with what they’ve learned.” Shtanko says her best memories in Buffalo have been small moments, like studying with her friend Arina and the other students from Ukraine — sometimes these sessions can last well past 2 a.m. as they prepare for exams. Having these students around — students with shared experiences and a common love for their homeland — has made the experience here all the better, she says. “I also call my parents every day, just asking if everything is fine,” says Shtanko, who hopes to continue her education and earn her PhD in biochemistry. “I try not to search for news, because it stresses me out. Calling them, hearing them, helps keep me going.” “[My mother] told me our town was no longer safe ... and that we should leave. There were constant explosions, and many times, we were hiding in our basement. We never knew what was going to happen next.” Kateryna Shtanko Chemistry major from occupied Oleshky, Ukraine
