Share the Dream: My Life, My Focus, My Goal Share the Dream: My Life, My Focus, My Goal: Whelden, Ryder

Talent Merit Scholarship Recipient

My name is Ryder Whelden, and I was born and raised in Cape Cod and my family has always been the most important part of my life. My mom is a single mother, and for a large part of my childhood my grandparents helped raise me along with her because my dad was not in the picture. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents while my mom worked toward getting to a better place for us. Once I got older, my mom was able to get a place of her own, and over time our relationship grew stronger, especially once I reached high school. Being raised by both my mom and my grandparents gave me more support than I probably realized at the time, and it motivated me to want more for myself. I don’t want to struggle the way my mom had to, and I want to be able to give back to her one day.

For most of high school, school did not come easy for me, and I got pretty bad grades until going into my junior year, I honestly didn’t think I was going to college at all. I figured I would just work after graduation. As that year went on, I saw more people around me talking about schools and the future; it made me feel like I was falling behind. That moment really stuck with me. I realized that even though working felt like the easier option, college was the smarter decision in the long run. Once I made that choice, everything changed. I started taking school seriously, pushed myself academically, and focused on baseball, which was my main sport at the time. I finished junior and senior year with strong grades and turning things around like that is something I’m genuinely proud of. It taught me that effort and mindset matter more than anything, and that trusting my gut was the right move.

When I first got to college, it wasn’t a great experience. Everything felt unfamiliar and overwhelming, and it took some time to adjust to living somewhere new and being on my own more than I ever had been before. At the same time, I found my people fast thankfully, which made a huge difference. I built close friendships early on and those connections helped me feel more comfortable and at home here during this semester. For most of my time here so far, I’ve stuck with that same group and having that support system made college feel a lot more tolerable.

Toward the end of the semester, I found myself pulling back and isolating a little. I think part of that came from trying to figure out who I am in this new environment and what I really want out of college. Even though that period was difficult, it taught me a lot about independence and self-awareness. I learned that college isn’t just about academics, but also about learning how to balance social life, mental space, and personal goals.

I chose UMass Dartmouth partially because of the College Now program and the support it offers students transitioning into college. College Now focuses on helping students become better students and hone their skills essentially and adjust to college life rather than just focusing on academics. I didn’t rely heavily on the program because my focus was business, but I still appreciated having access to guidance when I needed it. Meeting one-on-one with Daniesha was helpful in many ways, It was mostly just checking in, talking about how things were going, and making sure I was on the right track. It wasn’t anything crazy, but when I had questions, she would know the answer regardless. Having someone there made the adjustment feel less stressful, especially early on when everything was new.

When I look into the future. I’m still figuring out exactly what path I want to take, but I know I want to build something for myself. I want to become a personal trainer and eventually open my own gym, which is why I plan on changing my major to exercise science. Fitness is something I’m genuinely interested in, and I want to fully understand the science behind it so I can help others improve their health and confidence. At the same time, I’m very interested in the stock market and cryptocurrency, and I spend a lot of time learning about investing on my own. My long-term goal is to balance building financial freedom and also help others do the same.

Ultimately, my motivation comes from wanting a better future for myself and my family. I want to reach a point where my hard work puts my family in a stable position and allows me to give it back, especially to my mom. Everything I’m working toward now is about setting myself up for that future and proving to myself that choosing college and trusting my instincts was the right decision.