Name: William Ross
Degree: Strategic Communication
Expected Graduation Date: 2017
Company: University of Memphis School of Law
William Ross set off to Memphis, Tennessee, to begin his path for children advocacy.
Ross hails from Fort Worth, Texas. While attending college at OSU, he was engaged in campus life and community service. Among his community service activities, Ross served as an assistant tennis coach at Stillwater High School. “It’s inspiring to work with young athletes,” Ross said.
Ross clarified his career aspirations while at OSU. A pivotal experience encouraged him to become a lawyer. “I chose this route at the beginning of my junior year at OSU, after family members of mine were victimized by the foster care system,” Ross said.
Ross acknowledged his academic success. He was awarded the Claude T. Coffman Memorial Scholarship, which helps Ross pay for law school.
“Many classroom hours were spent in the Paul Miller Building,” Ross said. “A trio of professors, Dr. Shipka, Dr. Nichols and Professor Noble, particularly encouraged me not only in class but also in conversation.”
Yet, his fondest memories of college life are tied to the friendships he made.
“The friends I made at OSU gave me a strong sense of community no matter how far away I may live from them now,” Ross said.
Now a first-year law student, Ross advises sophomore and junior students to challenge themselves. Study hard, attend class and take notes; pulling a few all-nighters during a semester class will not offset bad study habits,” Ross said. “School is important and so is finding a job, but don’t completely stress about either. Allocate time to friends. Great memories are made in college, and it’s over so quickly you must strive to make the best of it.”