Ryan Patrick Sheldon is from Santa Clarita, California, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in International Relations at Arizona State University. Before transferring to ASU, he worked as an electrician for three years and attended community college while working full time. He serves in the U.S. Army Reserve and is an Army ROTC cadet preparing to commission as an Army officer. His academic focus centers on national security, great power competition, and U.S. grand strategy. 

Since attending ASU, Ryan has been heavily involved in leadership and service-oriented programs. He serves as the Battalion Executive Officer for the Sun Devil Battalion Army ROTC, helping manage operations for more than 130 cadets. He is also the founder and president of the Sun Devil Cadet Leadership Society and serves as an outreach officer for the Student Assembly at SCETL. Previously, he volunteered as a tutor with RISE, a refugee education organization, and worked as a Strategy and Operations Intern with the Great Hearts Institute. 

Looking ahead, Ryan is motivated by a desire to serve and to contribute meaningfully to his country and community in both military and civilian roles. Outside of academic and military commitments, he enjoys backpacking and mountaineering and recently summited Pico de Orizaba. He also enjoys music and can sing nearly every Hank Williams Sr. song.