ALUMNI NEWS
& KAPPAS KINSMEN
Ryan M. Adkins: A Close Family, a Positive Mindset and an Unquenchable Desire to Achieve
Ryan M. Adkins (Lambda Delta 2010, Rodney Adkins II (Theta Chi 2008, and 73 rd Laurel Wreath Laureate Rodney C. Adkins (Gamma Kappa 1979).
With all that surrounds us in the world, The Journal took the time to profile a few brothers to reflect on the many facets of what comprises a Kappa man.
turned out, all of these men were Kap- pas. From uncles to cousins and even- tually even my older brother, Rodney Adkins, II (Theta Chi, 2008), all of the men whom I had grown to admire and aspired to be had been kappas. But, it all started with the example of the 73 rd Laurel Wreath Laureate and “Father of Lambda Delta,” Rodney C. Adkins (Gamma Kappa 1979) aka Big Brother Golden Rod, Golden Rod, Golden Rod, and yes, you must say it three times every time, although I usually just call him “dad.” Ever since the day I was born, he has represented the standard for achievement. A standard that my brother and I are racing to surmount. Let’s see who does it first!
the way I viewed the world, but a pas- sion for art was always at my core. Like many 90s kids, I grew up on Dis- ney films like The Lion King, Aladdin, and Hercules (to name a few favorites), fueling my passion for animation at a young age. As I grew older, anime and the work of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki expanded my appreciation for the medium and the stories it could tell. I have been drawing since before I can even remember, doodling fictional characters from fantastical worlds, but something truly magical happens once an illustration is brought to life. With an affinity for art and an engineer- ing mindset, I have always looked at art through a technology-forward lens, es- tablishing my professional identity as a digital artist. This identity has been sculpted through my studies at Georgia Tech (BS in Literature, Media & Com- munications), the Savannah College of Art & Design Atlanta (MFA in Anima- tion) as well as my professional experi- ence with Cartoon Network (Atlanta,
Of Family and the Bond
I was officially initiated into the frater- nity in the summer of 2010 by way of the Lambda Delta Chapter (Georgia Tech), but it feels inaccurate to say that is where my road to Kappa Land began. I have been surrounded by Kappas my entire life, even before I knew what a Kappa was. In fact, I still remember to this very day the day that my older brother and I stumbled upon my dad’s cane in his closet when we were kids. We had no clue what it was for, but we knew there was something special about it. All throughout my life, I have been exposed to a number of distinguished, Black men who all seemed to have a bravado about them that exuded excel- lence. Once I was old enough to come to the knowledge of Greek life, as it
Nurturing Passion
I am a South Florida native, but my journey brought me to Atlanta in 2009 where I attended Georgia Tech, the alma mater of both of my parents and the place where they met. Growing up, engineering and technology were ever- present influences in my life, shaping
98 | SPRING 2020 ♦ THE JOURNAL
Publishing achievement for more than 105 years
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