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Ryan Upshaw

  • Hometown

    Jackson, MS (South)

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  • Quick Intro

    A veteran administrator in higher education with a passion for college access and leadership development, Dr. Ryan Upshaw has served college students for nearly twenty years. His career has included work in enrollment management, student affairs and academic affairs. He earned his BA in psychology, MA in Higher Education and his Doctorate in Higher Education – all from the University of Mississippi.
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About Ryan

Ryan currently serves as Assistant Dean for Student Life at Millsaps College in Jackson where he oversees a variety of functional areas related to student engagement and belonging.

 

In 2023, Upshaw was named Student Organization Advisor of the Year for Millsaps College. He has previously held roles at the University of Mississippi and Jackson Preparatory School. His work at UM was recognized with the Frist Student Service Award, the Lift Every Voice Award, the Donald Cole Award for Excellence in Mentoring and the NPHC Advisor of the Year Award.

 

After completing the Leadership Lafayette program, he served on their steering committee for many years and served as community impact chair and president of the LOU United Way Board of Directors. In the Jackson community, he serves on the board of the Mississippi Food Network, the Central Mississippi Ole Miss Rebel Club and is board president for Big House Books. He is also active with his fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. His work in the community has led to him being named the 2024 Volunteer of the Year Award from Volunteer Mississippi and the Mississippi Business Journal's Top 40 under 40 award.

 

Professionally, he is active with the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), the Southern Association for College Student Affairs (SACSA), the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA) and the Association of Student Conduct Administrators (ASCA). He is a member of the 2024-2025 class of Leadership Greater Jackson and his passion for leadership development has allowed him to serve as a leadership facilitator for a variety of organizations including the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute, LeaderShape, Alpha Chi Omega, Sigma Kappa, Phi Delta Theta, Delta Gamma and Texas A&M University. When he has time, he enjoys supporting the Ole Miss Rebels, trying new foods and watching good scary movies.

Q & A

What led you to want to serve on the School of Education Board of Advisors?

The support that was provided during my time earning degrees from the School of Education led me to want to give back in some way. So, when I became aware of the Board of Advisors, I expressed interest in serving. I had so many mentors in the School of Education who are still in contact with me today. I believe in the overall ability for education to transform lives.

Why did you choose to attend UM and the School of Education?

When I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in higher education, I knew that the UM School of Education graduate programs could provide me with the skills to excel in the field. I am proud to have earned both a masters and doctorate in higher education. The faculty were amazing and very supportive! Also, I remain in touch with many people who I took classes with or were in my cohort.

Tell us about your favorite professor(s) at the School of Education? How did they make a positive impact on your professional and personal pursuits?

I would have to say Dr. Amy Wells Dolan, Dr. Phillis George and Dr. Macey Edmondson. I had several courses with Dr. Wells Dolan in both the masters and the doctoral program, and she is someone that I am still connected with today. Dr. George was just an inspiration from the moment I stepped into her class. She was tough, but it made me want to be better. I always enjoyed working with her in class. Finally, I cannot say enough about Dr. Edmondson. She is the reason that I have earned my doctorate. I experienced some very difficult personal challenges while I was pursuing my EdD, but I always knew that she was in my corner as my advisor. If it weren't for her continuous support, I'm not sure that I would have finished the program.

Tell us about your proudest moment in education.

That's difficult. One would be when I received the Thomas Frist Student Service Award in 2018. To receive a phone call from the Chancellor notifying you that you're being recognized in that way was very humbling. The work that we do in higher education, at times, can be difficult and isn't always the most glamorous. So, to know that someone nominated me meant a lot. It was also important because so many people like Valeria Ross, Linda Spargo and Donald Cole were prior recipients of the honor. The other would have to be earning the doctorate in education. It was a goal of mine, and especially as a first generation college student, was something that I wasn't sure I could do. When my mother passed away, I wasn't sure I could continue pursuing the degree. However, the support from the School of Education made it possible.