Ryan McMillian: Running With A Purpose
5/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
By: Dan Dugger, MSU Sports Information Assistant
May 1, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. - While many student-athletes on the verge of graduation are looking for the best career opportunity for themselves, track and field senior Ryan McMillian has chosen a lifework that will fixate upon helping others.
The senior sprinter will graduate in early May with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism, but his educational journey will continue beyond MSU, as he has been accepted into the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University, hoping to earn his Master of Divinity.
"My uncle had asked me to speak at his church in January, then I spoke again in Philadelphia, and I have been requested to speak other places," said McMillian. "So I think if I'm going to go into ministry, I figured I just wanted to know the Bible backwards and forwards and in depth."
Ministry is an endeavor that has always been in McMillian's sights, and the senior will depart in August for Fort Worth, Texas, trading his Green and White for the Purple and White of TCU.
"I kind of always thought I would be involved in ministry, but to be honest, I don't think I wanted to," said a truthful McMillian. "I just wanted to be a part of a congregation, but I think ministry just fits better with my personality."
McMillian's reason for choosing ministry is simple: he wants to help others.
"I would like to be a counselor," McMillian said. "I like helping people with their problems and issues, and just informing them about what faith really is, so they are encouraged to hold on."
McMillian's natural inclination to help others began as a young man sweeping steps in his Northern Philadelphia neighborhood.
"When I was younger, my mom would tell me to go outside and sweep, and if I saw someone else sweeping--especially an older person--I would help them," said McMillian. "I was sweeping everybody else's steps and porches except ours. I would sweep ours last. I just liked helping people."
Years removed from sweeping his neighbors steps, McMillian's desire to help others has remained sincere, and at times sobering.
"I would rather help people than be a professional athlete," said a humble McMillian. "Sports to me, are too individualized, everyone wants to achieve for themselves. I would rather watch someone else become successful because of my help."
Although the next few years and the remainder of his life he will mainly focus on academics and assisting others, McMillian is as unique an athlete as MSU will ever see.
Not only can the 5-foot-6-inch sprinter dunk a basketball two-handed--thanks to his 40-inch vertical--he also puts up more than 240 pounds on the bench press, all while running his 100-meter dashes well under 11 seconds.
In addition to being a truly amazing athlete, McMillian has an extremely diverse, and talented musical side.
"I'm musically involved too," said McMillian. "I play the keys a little bit and the saxophone. I also sing a lot, mostly in the church in praise and worship groups."
Running with a purpose is what McMillian has done throughout his tenure at MSU, and what he will continue to do in life--all while keeping his faith as his top priority.
"A lot of people, including myself, can get discouraged throughout anything in life," said McMillian. "At times you feel like whatever you believe in really isn't helping you. So, just having faith and believing in something will help you--that kind of defines what faith is."
Players Mentioned
