Ryan Duncan

Ryan Duncan, BA Foreign Languages ’95, is an actor with film, theater, and television credits. His roles have included parts in Shrek the Musical and Gettin’ the Band Back Together on Broadway and Blue Bloods on CBS. He also works as a simulation specialist with Mursion, a company using virtual reality to help individuals improve communication around topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion. Duncan also works as an actor and English-to-Spanish translator for Only Make Believe, a New York City-based nonprofit organization providing theatrical experiences to children in hospitals and care facilities. He enjoys these collaborative experiences and using his gifts and skills to help others.

Duncan credits Mason with giving him a solid academic platform, which grounded his career and enabled him to add creativity to his work. Mason’s proximity to Washington, D.C., was significant, as it allowed him to work professionally while exploring other industries that piqued his interest.

He has learned through experience that nothing is fair, but anything is possible, and he encourages students to think broadly when seeking their paths. “Use every part of you, your academic background, your quirks, your hobbies, your interests—put that into your work, and you’ll discover what you love, and you’ll inspire more people.”

In November 2021, the Department of Modern and Classical Languages awarded Duncan with a Distinguished Alumni Award.

Published in the college's magazine, Horizon, fall 2022.