Student Story
Ryan Jenkins
Fayetteville, AR
M.Ed. in Physical Education
"[This degree] will mean I am well-equipped to take what I have learned and spread my knowledge in the classroom or gymnasium as a teacher."
Ryan Jenkins grew up seeing the impact teachers have on students’ lives with both parents being educators. This daily inspiration drew him to become a teacher and a physical education instructor and pursue a Master of Education in Physical Education degree at the University of Arkansas.
“Achieving my master’s degree will mean a great deal to me personally and professionally,” Jenkins said. “Professionally, it will mean I am well-equipped to take what I have learned and spread my knowledge in the classroom or gymnasium as a teacher.”
Jenkins said his parents’ work as teachers will help him teach too.
“Both of my parents are educators and have been for my entire life,” Jenkins said. “I have been able to see countless ways that they have impacted the lives of the students that they have had an opportunity to work with. It will be up to me to help prepare the next generation to excel and become leaders.”
His master’s will be Jenkins’ second degree from the University of Arkansas. He attained an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology K-12 Teaching in 2019.
“What has been so great is that I have learned just as much with my online classes as I did with the in-classroom setting,” he said. “This speaks to the great amount of detail and effort put in by our professors here at the U of A!”
Jenkins is one of 23 people to receive the W.E. Manning Memorial Scholarship for online U of A students for the 2020-2021 academic year. He plans to complete the final year of his degree while working with the equipment department for Razorback football. Upon graduation, he will seek a position as an educator and a football coach.
“I am extremely honored to be recognized as a recipient of this wonderful scholarship,” Jenkins said. “Once I read into W.E. Manning’s story and saw what he stood for, I realized that he stood for many of the same things that I do. To be able to receive this scholarship in his name means a great deal to me and will enable me to continue my passion for learning to help influence the students I come in contact with.”