My CBU Story: Lenayah Ryan

Soon to be CBU graduate, Lenayah Ryan, will be crossing the stage at this week’s convocation ceremony, but it won’t be long before she’s walking back through the University’s doors. Graduating with her Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology, Lenayah plans to further her education by pursuing a Bachelor of Science, Nursing.  

Lenayah decided to make her way to CBU after graduating from Riverview High School. In addition to the convenient proximity to her home, the University grabbed Lenayah’s attention thanks to the smaller class sizes, which proved to be exactly what she was looking for. “I enjoyed the small lab sizes as they allowed me access to tools and experiences I would never have been able to get elsewhere,” says Lenayah. “I was able to be creative and take charge of my education thanks to these opportunities.”

Throughout her CBU journey, Lenayah enjoyed her Advanced Human Physiology and Medical Microbiology classes the most. However, she was surprised by discovering a new found love for environmental sciences while taking courses such as Marine Ecology and Ichthyology. Lenayah also felt fulfilled through her work as a student researcher, which helped her to become more independent and encouraged her to hone her leadership and critical thinking skills.

This summer, Lenayah will be working with the Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) Cape Breton as an ecological monitoring intern. Though she will be returning to CBU following this stint, there is much she will miss about the time that is now behind her. “I will miss studying and working in the Biology Department,” she begins. “Even more so, I will miss the people I have met during this degree, as we are all going in separate directions after graduation.”

Lenayah has learned a great deal already from her time at CBU, lessons she will continue to carry forward as she returns for her next degree and beyond. “My time at CBU taught me about adapting to changing circumstances and how to persevere through challenges,” Lenayah says. “These experiences taught me to take advantage of the tools at my current disposal and how to be flexible.”

University can be a difficult and stressful time, so it’s important to have a strong support system. Thankfully for Lenayah, she found that in the friends she made throughout her degree. “We found each other during our first year on campus after the pandemic and have stuck together since then,” she says. “I have studied and worked with many of these students, and they have always supported me during the ups and downs of this degree.”

With this in mind, Lenayah emphasizes her belief that having a support system in place is the key to success. “Academics can be very stressful. I would encourage someone coming to CBU to try their best to build a strong support system with their peers,” she begins. “I cannot explain my gratitude for the friends I made throughout this degree. We always focused on supporting each other, whether we needed help with an assignment, a lab or a pep-talk before an exam. Besides this, school is much more fun when you have someone you can trust having your back.”

Lenayah would like to share her congratulations and best wishes to all of her fellow graduates. “I want to encourage everyone to enjoy the summer before the next part of their journey begins,” she says. “Whatever it may be!”

Congratulations to Lenayah and the entire Spring 2024 graduating class!