Mullaney has fared well in ‘real world’
For a guy who loves to run, it didn’t take long for Ryan Mullaney to pay off his first car. Mullaney ran cross country four years at Connellsville Area High School, and during that time, purchased his first automobile which he paid for with a part-time job.
“I was proud to say I own my own car and that I paid for it,” Mullaney said. “I’ve been out in the job market and have been able to see different aspects of life. I think everybody needs to experience the real world. I think a lot of kids stay in a dream world too long and I think they should step out into reality.”
The reality is Mullaney was an exceptional student and athlete, and for this reason, was selected as the top male student/athlete at Connellsville Area High School and will receive a $500 scholarship through the Davis & Davis Student/Athlete Scholarship Program.
The program, sponsored by Davis & Davis Law Firm and coordinated by the Herald-Standard, will culminate with a banquet to be held Sunday at 5 p.m. at Shady Side Inn.
Mullaney, the son of Tom and Cheryl Mullaney of Connellsville, finished high school with a 3.8 grade point average and a rank of 13 out of 375. He will attend Penn State University’s main campus and major in Electrical Engineering.
“I’ve always been strong in math and took a couple of classes with electronics and found it fascinating. I want to pursue it further.”
As a member of Connellsville’s cross country squad, Mullaney recorded his fastest time ever in a WPIAL qualifier in help the Falcons to finish third. He especially was drawn to the solitude the sport offers.
“The only person you can rely on is yourself,” he said. “You just go to the race and do your own thing. You know the day before that you’re going to hurt when you’re running. And when you start to race, you tell yourself to keep going.”
Mullaney was named to the All-County team his sophomore and senior seasons, and also ran three years of track, where he received the Golden Falcon Award for scoring at least 50 points in a meet.
Mullaney played basketball as well, and as a senior, realized a life-long dream during a Christmas tournament.
“I always had the dream of running out of the locker room and hearing my announced in the starting lineup. It was pretty neat to hear that for real.”
Academically, Mullaney was a member of the National Honor Society and as a sophomore, was inducted into the Spanish Honor Society.
When he found out he was being awarded the Davis & Davis Student/Athlete Scholarship, he felt a sense of elation.
“It makes you feel that all the hard work and dedication, along with the trials and tribulations you went through were worth it. I could look back and say I didn’t have any regrets and it will help me continue to strive for success.”
Mullaney chose Penn State to further his education because he was primarily interested in being in a different environment.
“I wanted a change,” he said. “State College is not really a big city, but with 40,000 kids, it’s almost like a big city. It’s definitely going to be a big adjustment, because I have some good things going on for me at home. I’m going to miss them, but if you never take that chance, you’ll never know what greater things will lie ahead. I felt Penn State was my ticket to greater things.”
Mullaney, who has a younger brother Pat and a younger sister Molly, has been working part-time at a pharmacy and also just started a job during the daytime at Sony Electronics Assembly Plant in New Stanton to save up for college. He admits sometimes he’s felt somewhat spread thin, but he likes the challenge of taking on a variety of tasks.
“I always felt the key was balance. I admire people who can pursue one thing and be great at it, but I’ve always felt like doing a lot of things and keeping a lot of doors open. I try not to pay attention too much to one thing and take away from other activities.
“I’ve learned that life isn’t fair, but it’s what you put into it and how hard you work that will determine what you get out of it. You have to set your goals and stay the course.”