By Luke Anderson, student writer, UW-Eau Claire News Bureau
Jeffrey Ruh
- Born in Seattle, Wash., but has moved around continuously
- Kinesiology-human performance major
- What's next: Teaching English in Japan
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UW-Eau Claire photo by Rick Mickelson |
Jeffrey Ruh began his college experience much differently than most young college students do.
Both his parents died when he was very young: his dad when he was 11 and his mom when he was 15. Ruh enlisted in the Army when he was 17 and spent more than eight years in the 82nd Airborne Division. He was deployed to fight the Serbian genocide in Kosovo as a paratrooper in 1999-2000 and was awarded for bravery and leadership.
Ruh lived in Seattle, Hawaii and North Carolina before landing in Wisconsin.
"Despite all of the struggles anybody could ever possibly be asked to bear, I emerged successful and triumphant," he said. "Not only am I graduating with honors, but I was asked to be the speaker for my graduating class."
Ruh said another highlight of his life at UW-Eau Claire was studying abroad at Kansai Gaida University in Osaka, Japan.
"In the military I was able to visit numerous countries on many continents, but when I went abroad this time, I carried a textbook rather than a rifle," he said. "What a difference that made."
Ruh, who is fluent in both Spanish and Japanese, plans to teach English to children in Japan in the short term. His future goals include opening his own fitness facility with his own fitness system and making a national impact on America's health.
"I want to change the way fitness and health is being sold to unsuspecting customers," he said. "Hopefully opening my own facility and developing my own system will help facilitate this end."
Ruh had a major impact on the Veteran's Center opening on campus and is very active in its activities. He worked with UW-Eau Claire administrators before it was opened in the fall of 2009. UW-Eau Claire earned first place in the UW-Extension's Adult Friendly Institution Incentive Plan awards program conducted this year on behalf of military veterans and active-duty students, receiving $10,000 to further its efforts.
"(The Veteran's Center) is now a thriving area for our veteran students," Ruh said.
Ruh also traveled to Madison to sit on a UW System committee on veteran's issues. He was part of a roundtable discussion that addressed military veterans in all UW System schools.
"The roundtable discussion opened the eyes of many veteran personnel on other campuses," Ruh said. "There was also a phenomenal presentation on returning veterans' potential mental health issues."
More on Jeffrey Ruh
A UW-Eau Claire person, class or project that made a positive difference in his life: A UW-Eau Claire person that has made a positive difference in my life is Dr. Jeff Janot. His tireless efforts in helping develop ourselves professionally, academically and physically reflects great credit upon himself, the kinesiology department and UW Eau-Claire. His lessons have definite, measurable and impactful instructional value. He is always within reach and is willing to restructure his time to more effectively address any problem students may have had. Without Dr. J, I highly doubt that I would have graduated at all.
How he defines the UW-Eau Claire Advantage: I define the UW Eau-Claire experience as "we're not going to hold your hand." From the get-go I realized that college was a different animal altogether. I quickly discovered that being out of high school for almost nine years did wonders for my study habits. But through the intense curriculum at UW-Eau Claire, coupled with some intensely effective faculty devotion, I will be earning my degree.
UW-Eau Claire can boast of faculty like few others. Professors like Jacqueline Bailey, Dr. Larry Honl, Dr. Tomomi Kakegawa, Dr. Kim Pierson and, as mentioned earlier, Dr. Jeff Janot are but a few of the most outstanding instructors available for any undergraduate. The advantage, therefore, is their investment in our success. This is best evidenced by their ease of communication, willingness to help, flexibility in times of difficulty, adaptation and dedication to high standards. UW-Eau Claire = excellence.
Advice for success to incoming UW-Eau Claire students: My advice to incoming students is to be secure in the knowledge that nothing can stop you. Take nothing lying down, and allow no one to tell you that you cannot do something. Set your goals high, and you will achieve them. Set your goals low, and you will also achieve them. Whether you say you are able to do something, or you are unable to, you will be right!
Learn about other featured May 2010 graduates
