The Michigan State Department of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) is pleased to announce Sophia Ryan as the 2025 Outstanding Senior.
“To me, being named the outstanding senior is such an honor,” Sophia said. “I have been so privileged to learn from such a great community of staff, so knowing that they have selected me really means a lot. I hope that I can represent the major and the school well in my future endeavors.”
Sophia is majoring in human development and family studies with minors in health promotion and environment and health.
“I chose HDFS because I am looking to go into the medical field as a physician assistant, and I truly believe that the most helpful physicians are the ones who know about people,” Sophia said. “HDFS was a great way for me to learn all about different life stages, challenges, groups of people, and coping mechanisms.”
Sophia loved all of her HDFS courses, but Family and Financial Management (HDFS 454) and Research and Quantitative Methods (481) stood out to her because she felt like she took away practical and applicable skills.
“One thing I loved about the major was the continuity between classes,” she said. “I always felt more reassured seeing familiar faces, both with my classmates and professors.”
Sophia also had an honors seminar that gave her the opportunity to collaborate with a team to publish a research paper.
“In this paper, we detail how the similarity of personality traits between romantic partners has an effect on their satisfaction of the relationship,” she said.
During her time at MSU, she also competed as a part of the women's lacrosse team, making the national tournament in 2023. She has also spent her time at MSU giving back.
“I have also volunteered with the MSU adaptive sports & recreation club as a way to help share my love of sports with any and all that want to play,” she said.
Sophia Ryan in Amsterdam visiting friends and studying abroad. Photo courtesy of Sophia Ryan.
After she graduates, she plans to continue on to physician assistant school.
“Everything I learned through HDFS will provide me with a foundation to treat patients I see individually and to the best of my ability,” she said.
As she gets ready to graduate, she also has some advice to share with current majors or students considering HDFS as a major:
“I would encourage any undergrads in the major to really take advantage of all the applications of each class,” she said. “Depending on your career path because there are so many careers available to HDFS majors, some subjects will be more directly applicable to your work than others, but there is nothing we learn that cannot help us become better, more empathetic individuals. HDFS will help you excel at whatever it is you seek to do.”
To learn more about Human Development and Family Studies. Visit hdfs.msu.edu.