As part of the Class of 2020, Ryan Yousefian had an unconventional senior year. His journey getting to the University of Washington was also far from traditional.
Ryan's typical childhood shifted around age 10 when he lost interest in sports, started to gain weight, and his grades plummeted. As the son of a dentist, Ryan assumed he would follow in his father's footsteps.
School counselors had a different message. Ryan remembers a school meeting with his parents when counselors said results from an IQ test were alarming. The advisors said Ryan would struggle to meet the demands of higher education.
“They told him he was dumb. He wasn’t college material,” said Ryan's dad, Joseph.
His family wasn't buying that. After years of frustration and research, Ryan's family discovered a sleeping giant.
Ryan participated in a sleep study and, like millions of Americans, discovered he had severe sleep apnea. The lack of quality sleep resulted in emotional outbursts and a lack of focus.
Treatment for sleep apnea had swift results for Ryan. He started pursuing more interests and collected accolades along the way.
“He proved everyone wrong. There are many kids just like Ryan out there,” Joseph said.
Ryan enrolled at the University of Washington Fosters School of Business in Business Entrepreneurship. He was honored in several innovation contests, including first place in a start-up competition earlier this year.
This week, Ryan earned his Master's Degree at UW.
Now he is focused on a start-up that makes medical devices for sleep apnea, known as ApnoMed. His work could help improve millions of lives like his.
Ryan credits his dad's unwavering support for not just surviving, but thriving through life.
