Ryan Moriarty, a Master’s Degree in Philanthropic Studies student, has taken a unique journey in his education. A graduate of the Kelley School of Business at IU Indianapolis, where he earned a marketing degree in 2019, Moriarty is currently an account executive at Salesforce, where he has worked since 2022. His path to studying philanthropy is influenced by life events.
Moriarty was working professionally when he decided to pursue his graduate certificate in Philanthropic Studies. He was familiar with the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy but didn’t decide to pursue his certificate until he lost two close friends. “The reason that I got started with the program – I had a very close friend of mine in college that passed, and it was very traumatic and completely unexpected,” he said. “That woke me up and within a few months I lost another close friend. I quickly realized that mental health is a large societal issue. These stories may seem anecdotal but further research suggests otherwise,”
Following those tragic events, he wanted to do something that could truly make a difference in the community specifically for those struggling with their mental health. His perspective shifted even more after becoming a father. He says, “Once you have children, they become the center of your whole world and everything you do becomes a direct reflection of the world you want to create for them.”
Throughout his studies, he noticed a theme in his coursework that many of the problems in society such as mental health and food insecurity have underlying systemic issues. This inspired his pursuit of a Masters of Arts in Philanthropic Studies to further supplement his education.
It also inspired him to seek more volunteer opportunities putting his studies into practice. Fortunately, Salesforce provides many avenues to express his passions as part of Salesforce’s 1-1-1 model. It’s their commitment to give back 1% of employees time, 1% of their equity, and 1% of technology to their community.
Moriarty encourages others wanting to make an impact on society to pursue an education in philanthropy. He says, “You should never stop educating yourself.”
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