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When Ryan Matthews crossed the Texas Woman’s University commencement stage in December 2019, it felt almost surreal.

“I never expected that,” he said. “I was on that journey so long, and it finally came to the forefront. It felt pretty good.”

Matthews’ “journey” included seven years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. He’d spend five of those years on Louisiana’s death row before being exonerated in 2004.

Receiving his bachelor of applied arts and sciences degree was a significant achievement, but Matthews knew he wasn’t finished.

“It’s like putting one foot in front of the other,” he said. “I’m just a step closer to where I want to go.”

Matthews’ mother and sister both say he is their inspiration. His mother, Pauline Matthews, is pursuing a degree in social work and recently completed her first year at 草莓传媒官网下载. His sister, Monique Coleman, earned her bachelor’s degree at the university and currently is working toward her doctorate in family studies. She’ll begin her dissertation this summer.

Matthews took a semester off after graduation to spend more time with his family and to look for a job where he could apply what he鈥檇 learned in college. He鈥檇 worked in the warehouse industry in order to pay for school, but didn鈥檛 want to feel stagnated.

The COVID-19 pandemic put a crimp in his plans.

鈥淢aking that transition now didn鈥檛 feel safe, with so many people losing their jobs or getting laid off,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have people depending on me. I have a wife and four kids.鈥� 

Still, Matthews is pushing forward. Though he鈥檇 planned to pursue a master鈥檚 degree after gaining some experience in the business field, he moved the MBA to the forefront and now is in his second semester of the program at Texas Woman鈥檚.

鈥淚 always knew I didn鈥檛 want to do the type of work I was doing all my life,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing wrong with it, but I think I could do so much more.鈥�

Eventually, he wants to work for himself.

鈥淲hatever I have to do, I will do it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I have to start at the bottom and work my way up, that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 going to do.

鈥淵ou gotta crawl before you can walk,鈥� he added with a laugh.

Despite his exoneration more than a decade ago, Matthews鈥� arrest for murder remains on his record and shows up on background checks. He believes that may prevent him from getting some jobs, but isn鈥檛 letting that stop him.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 get down if something doesn鈥檛 work out the way I think it should,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think that helps you. It makes you stronger, because it鈥檚 not like it was given to you; you had to work for it.鈥�

He refuses to give into bitterness. 

鈥淒welling on negative experiences can destroy you and limit progress,鈥� he said. 鈥淔ocusing on such experiences may hinder my ability to move forward. Instead, I use the traumatic experience as a catalyst to push forward and achieve my goals.

鈥淚 refuse to be a victim of circumstance.鈥�