Twenty-four years after graduation from Moss Point High School, Ryan Upshaw has returned home to Moss Point with a new title along with experience in higher education and is ready to support local families with their higher educational needs.
Upon leaving Moss Point, Dr. Upshaw earned more than a doctorate from the University of Mississippi, he also found his passion in working with college students and a home away from home.
“My activities in campus leadership as a student at Ole Miss is where I found my passion in working with college students,” Dr. Upshaw said. “I enjoy working with college students because I saw, firsthand, the impact that administrators made on my life as a first-generation college student.”
He said the mentorship of those college administrators gave him opportunities to gain important leadership and personal development skills. After earning a degree in psychology, he continued his education and pursued both his masters and doctorate in higher education from Ole Miss as well.
“As a college senior, I decide that I wanted to pour into and support future college students,” he said, noting that those same mentors are now friends. “Seeing a young person show up on a college campus as a freshman or transfer and having the privilege of seeing them graduate, accept that first job or get admitted to a graduate program is why I do this.”
While living in Oxford, he served as president of the Board of the Oxford-Lafayette County United Way and was also on the Mississippi Food Network Board of Directors. His move back to the coast started in 2019 when he moved to Jackson to be closer to his mother who was in declining health. For the past four years, he has served Millsaps College overseeing student engagement efforts.
“At Millsaps College, I worked closely with student programming, fraternity and sorority life and advising student government and student belonging,” he said. While in Jackson he also graduated from Leadership of Greater Jackson and was already a graduate of Leadership Lafayette.
Today his title is Dean of Student Services at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Jackson County. In this role, he leads a team that works with admissions, financial aid, enrollment services, student activities and assessment centers.
“I am passionate about college access and work with the staff to promote community engagement,” Dr. Upshaw said, especially offering education and assistance in FAFSA. He recently hosted community engagement FAFSA Nights at the Ina Thompson Library in Moss Point and similar events in Pascagoula and Gautier.
“Completing the FAFSA opens opportunities for families who may need additional support to send their children to college including access to any need-based scholarships and funding like the Pell Grant,” he said. “I encourage families to begin their search EARLY and to have their student apply for any and all scholarships for which they may qualify. It takes effort and time, but it’s important not to leave any opportunities on the table.”
Dr. Upshaw is looking forward to finding new opportunities to engage students and families in the communities across the Gulf Coast along with reconnecting with former classmates.
