Ralph Reid is a senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Leadership Studies. Ralph graduated from Satellite High School in Satellite Beach, Florida in 2005. While in college Ralph has been involved in and held leadership positions in numerous organizations, such as the Honors College, Student Government, College Democrats, residence hall building councils, USF Rotaract Club, Arts and Sciences Honor Society, Council of Honor Societies, Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society, USF Wakeboard Club, Marshall Center Student Board, Student Health Services Advisory Committee, Model United Nations, Beef Studs, Undergraduate Research Board, Student Alliance for a Politically Active Campus, Delta Chi Fraternity, and Habitat for Humanity. Because of his substantial involvement on campus Ralph was awarded the “Golden Bull Award”, one of USF's highest honors given annually to undergraduate and graduate students who encompass the spirit of USF and have demonstrated its values. Ralph has also participated in undergraduate research for several years and has coauthored and published several articles and books.

As an undergraduate researcher Ralph has studied judicial elections in Florida. Ralph has been studying the courts to statistically determine if there is a gender bias against candidates wishing to be judges; particularly if female candidates are disadvantaged when running against male candidates. The purpose of this research is to help female lawyers make the decision to place their names on the ballot to become judges in order to increase the representativeness of the Florida courts. Ralph has attended and placed at two Undergraduate Research Symposiums and was selected from a large applicant pool to attend the 2009 National Conference on Undergraduate Research at the University of Wisconsin-La Cross.

Ralph is dedicated to public service and has served in various leadership roles of a volunteer organization he helped charter, the USF Rotaract Club. Through this organization Ralph spent 10 days in New Orleans rebuilding homes in the lower ninth ward that had been damaged by hurricane Katrina. He plans on returning in December to continue helping rebuild homes.

Ralph plans to graduate from USF in May 2010 and continue working towards a Master’s degree. Ralph aspires to lead a life of public service because he finds no calling greater than the calling to service of others.