A Smokey Send-off for Ryan Karkowsky

For Ryan Karkowsky, being a Longhorn was inevitable. The Forty Acres Scholar grew up dressed in burnt orange alongside generations of Texas Exes.

Both of his grandfathers and his paternal grandmother graduated from UT over 50 years ago. His dad graduated with a dual BBA in finance and real estate, and both of his parents just finished a term as chairs of the McCombs School of Business Parents Council. His younger sister is also a Forty Acres Scholar, finishing her sophomore year.

Although he came to campus with a Longhorn pedigree, the path Karkowsky has carved for himself at UT is all his own. He's triple majoring in Plan II, business honors and finance, and he spends his free time firing Smokey the Cannon at football games as a Texas Cowboy, serving as the alumni chair in Zeta Beta Tau, and gaining real-world business experience through Texas Trailblazers, Texas Equity Group and the Wall Street for McCombs Leadership Program.

His time at UT wasn't spent only on campus. As a Forty Acres Scholar, Karkowsky had the opportunity to study abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Seoul, South Korea, using some of his enrichment stipend.

"I think a motto I really live by is to find comfort in your own discomfort, for that vulnerability allows you to grow," Karkowsky said. "Gaining perspectives from both of those different countries and cities has really allowed me to be a more knowledgeable and more well-rounded person both here at UT and definitely in the future."

After graduation, Karkowsky is moving to New York City to work in finance strategy consulting at Deloitte. The College of Liberal Arts and McCombs senior received a job offer from a fellow Longhorn, a testament to the connectedness of UT alumni around the world.

"It goes to show how widespread UT is and how amazing of an opportunity it is to go to The University of Texas," he said. "When you go here, you're not just a Longhorn for four years. It's something that stays with you for the rest of your life."