Although he took summer courses in the east from the graduate faculty at Columbia University, Ryan Stewart from Martin High School in Arlington, Texas, went west to study economics and finance as a Presidential Scholar at Stanford University. He was in the top 1% of his graduating class at Martin High School and received the Principal’s Award for outstanding character and service to the school. Ryan was a Richard Greene Scholar, one of the Arlington School District’s most coveted honors. He excelled in sports as well, playing varsity football and making First Team Academic All-State.

When he was recruited for the LEAD Business Honors Program at Columbia, Ryan was one of 300 students selected from a strong national field of 5000. A former campaign worker and intern at the Arlington City Manager’s Office, he volunteered in Texas Congressman Martin Frost’s Washington, D.C. office last summer.