On Tuesday, October 13th, ALLIES held its annual ROTC speaker event in a virtual setting. This year, ALLIES had the distinct honor of hosting Dean Diane Ryan of Tufts’ Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life as the speaker. The event focused on learning about Dean Ryan’s 29 years in the Army, and her experiences transitioning to the civilian lifestyle.
Dean Ryan began the event by discussing why she had joined Army ROTC during her time at the College of the Holy Cross. Initially, she had viewed military service as a means to an end – it would be a way to pay for her tuition and guarantee employment after graduation. After entering Active Duty, she discovered how she would be able to forge a career out of military service. She was able to work in a broad number of positions, ranging from her first job in Telecommunications Operations, to Psychological Operations, and most notably becoming the Deputy Department Head of Behavior Sciences and Leadership at the USMA at West Point. Dean Ryan reached the rank of Colonel before retiring from military service and entering the civilian workforce.
After outlining her work in the Army, Dean Ryan discussed her transition to the civilian world. She stressed the importance of military personnel having a plan of their desired career paths well before separating from Active Duty. She decided she would like to continue her work in academia in a civilian setting rather than at a military academy, and then found general locations that would be compatible with and suitable for her family. Soliciting advice from one of her civilian mentors at West Point, she was able to find employment at her current position at Tufts.
Dean Ryan’s transition to civilian life was simple and difficult in different aspects. After beginning her job at Tufts, there were small habits that she had built up out of necessity of following Army regulations that were difficult to shake. For example, she worried about exiting a building without a cap that would be required with her uniform, even though she was now wearing civilian clothes. Furthermore, she had become accustomed to using Army and military colloquialisms and slang in conversations, which her civilian colleagues at Tufts had trouble understanding. Dean Ryan also discussed how her colleagues viewed her as a recent retiree from the military. They believed that she would demand that they act with extreme professionalism, as though they were of lower ranks in the military. However, they soon learned that she was an ordinary colleague, and that the military relationship dynamics they expected would not apply with her as their boss.
Although starting a civilian job after 29 years of service, Dean Ryan did not feel completely lost. She had considerable experience working with civilians during her time on Active Duty, especially at West Point. Many of the skills she learned in her time in Active Duty directly translated to the civilian workforce, whether tangible, technical skills, or intangible skills such as leadership. At Tufts, she employs these skills when teaching students, working with others, or managing projects.
A Q&A session followed Dean Ryan’s overview, with questions being asked by non-military affiliated students, and by ROTC cadets.