Dashing to the future
Ryan Martins (MBA '23) made an immediate impact on Loyola's cross country and track and field programs when he transferred as a graduate business student. Shortly after joining the cross country team, he became the fastest Rambler to run the 10,000-meter, smashing the old mark by nearly 23 seconds.
"It's surreal to be in a position where you can run personal best times that are also school records," Martins said.
Martins' long-distance talents helped propel the Rambler men to an Atlantic 10 conference championship in cross-country. The Loyola University Chicago runner finished second, just one-tenth of a second behind teammate Chris Devaney. While doing all of this, he pursued an MBA in the Quinlan School of Business.
Finding a new home
Martins was on his last year of eligibility when he decided to make the switch to Quinlan. As he narrowed down on destinations for his last laps, Loyola and Quinlan checked all the boxes.
"Just knowing I had one more year to get the most out of, I wanted to go to a school with a very good reputation, and Loyola's business school had everything I was looking for," Martins said.
Martins had already completed an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska in English with a concentration in business analytics. At Quinlan, he further explored business.
"I felt like getting an MBA with a concentration in finance would be the perfect way to explore those interests that maybe I didn't get to before," Martins said.
Balancing speed and studies
As a student-athlete, Martins faced the challenge of training to be a competitive runner traveling around the country, while staying focused on completing his degree.
"I'm going to class. I'm practicing but I also have interviews for jobs. I'm talking to people about moving on from school and into the workforce," Martins said.
Quinlan's cohort program has enabled Martins to connect with people outside his student-athlete circle. He values those relationships and learning from others.
"There's a lot of different perspectives based on where they are in life," Martins said.
"I get to hear how people's jobs are affecting their studies or how others are searching for job. It allows for so many forms of discourse to be had."
The next leg
Martins says Quinlan has enabled him to take a new perspective on his next steps. As he reflects on his time at Loyola, he feels his classes have prepared him to be a successful business leader.
"I think these core courses are really setting you up to know what it's like to be in the workforce and how to work with other people," Martins said.
Quinlan's faculty push their students to find what calls them. Their drive is something that has stood out to the Rambler runner.
"All these professors really care about what they're doing and they're really passionate about the work they're teaching us, and I think that they want us to be passionate about what we are studying," Martins said. Martins still isn't set on what he wants to do next, but he is taking his time to find what is right for him. With his Quinlan education, he's confident his next steps will fall into place.
"There's a lot of different aspects at play but I welcome it all. As fun as it's been, I'm looking forward to the next step in my life."
