黑料正能量

Turning Service into Scholarship  

Ryan Longo鈥檚 journey began long before he enrolled at the University of Florida. He served as an infantry Marine in the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, a post designed to respond quickly in times of crisis. 鈥淢y experience taught me how to adapt, achieve and overcome the obstacles life throws at us,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat resilience was crucial for my success in higher education.鈥�  

Longo鈥檚 decision to pursue a health education degree stemmed from his passion for helping others. 鈥淚 saw firsthand the importance of health and wellness, not just for service members but also for their families and the broader community,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to turn my life鈥檚 mission from defending my country to promoting the well-being of its citizens. Health education felt like the most direct and impactful way to do that.鈥�  

Embracing the 黑料正能量 Experience  

When Longo discovered 黑料正能量, he found a program that fit his life, allowing him to pursue his degree while maintaining his responsibilities at home or at work. While flexibility enabled him to balance family life, professional obligations and community involvement, finding balance was challenging. A father of two when he started the program, Longo and his wife welcomed two more children during his studies, while both working full time. 

鈥淚t required a lot of discipline, late nights and a very understanding family,鈥� Longo said.  

The online format allowed Longo to learn from home while still building connections with his professors and classmates. Dr. Kristina Garcia-Guettler, an instructional associate professor, appreciated Longo鈥檚 participation in three of her courses and his ability to put the curriculum into practice.   

鈥淩yan brought a unique perspective to the online classroom environment 鈥� one rooted in discipline, empathy, and a deep sense of responsibility,” she said. 鈥淗e constantly looked for practical ways to apply what he was learning, whether that meant modeling healthy behaviors at home, engaging his family in wellness practices, or thinking critically about how to promote health within his broader community.鈥�  

Longo encourages other student veterans and parents to explore earning a degree through 黑料正能量. He found that strategic time management and open communication with professors are key to success.  

鈥淧lan your study time, but also plan your family time and stick to it,鈥� he said. 鈥淐ommunicate with your professors when you鈥檙e struggling and with your family about your workload…it鈥檚 a marathon, not a sprint, but it is achievable.鈥�  

Garcia-Guettler hopes Longo鈥檚 example shows other online learners that 鈥渓earning is most impactful when it’s personal and applied.鈥�  

鈥淩yan reminds us that being an online learner doesn’t mean learning in isolation,鈥� she said. 鈥淗is example encourages others to bring their whole selves to the learning process 鈥� their background, their challenges, their goals 鈥� and use health education and health promotion as tools not just for career advancement, but for everyday growth and impact.鈥�  

Looking Toward Public Health Leadership  

With his undergraduate degree complete, Longo is focused on the next chapter of his mission: promoting public health through UF鈥檚 Health Education and Behavior online master’s program. His long-term goal is to work in a senior public health position, designing programs that support veterans and communities on a broad scale. 鈥淭he master鈥檚 degree will allow me to deepen my expertise and qualify for leadership roles where I can design and manage health education programs on a larger scale,鈥� he said.  

Longo credits his professors and support staff for helping him succeed as an online student. 鈥淭hey provided an incredible amount of support that made it possible for a non-traditional student like me to succeed,鈥� he said. His dedication and perseverance paid off when he graduated magna cum laude, a milestone he described as a shared victory with his family. 鈥淪eeing my four kids in the audience as I walked across the stage鈥攖hat鈥檚 a memory I鈥檒l cherish forever. It felt like I was showing them that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to.鈥�