‘Clemson or bust’: Ryan Uhle never let the absence of vision hinder him from becoming an attorney

Thousands of fans and students flooded College Avenue on mild January nights to cheer their beloved Clemson Tigers as they won national championships in the 2016 and 2018 seasons.

Ryan Uhle '19 was in the sea of people, although he witnessed both bouts differently than anyone else.

He was born with a form of cancer called retinoblastoma and lost the ability to see at 2 years old. The magnitude of that life-altering diagnosis hasn't stopped the Aiken native and young attorney from already achieving more than some could ever dream of.

"Some people aren't as lucky to have the sort of family support system and a good group of friends that I have," Uhle says. "I've been given this opportunity, and it'd be a shame for me to waste it."

Deep down, Uhle always knew he wanted to be at Clemson. Attending football games with his parents helped the cause, and his mother, Keisha Uhle '89, proudly claims more than a dozen Clemson graduates on her side of the family.

Still, his parents wanted him to apply to at least one other school in the Upstate. He acquiesced and applied to Furman University. Finding time to apply can be tricky when running on the track and cross-country teams. To boot, Uhle also practiced jiu-jitsu, the violin and cello in middle school.

"It was pretty much Clemson or bust for me. Being there for two national championships was incredible.

Uhle arrived in Tigertown in 2015 with a mission to major in history. He was guided by service dogs Kappa and Steffi, who were alongside him for two years each.

They helped him navigate campus and bus routes while Uhle's Alpha Sigma Phi brothers formed a solid support system.

"They would go out of their way to help me if I needed it," he says. "It was extremely helpful and made transitioning to college a lot easier."

His mother also worked with the University's Accessibility Services office to install talking pedestrian traffic lights at intersections around campus to help the visually impaired population safely cross intersections.

After earning his degree, Uhle enrolled at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law and got his foot in the door of the prestigious law firm of Nelson Mullins at the close of his first year.

He's been one of the firm's youngest associates since the fall of 2022, focusing on e-discovery, business, pharmaceutical, toxic tort and medical device litigation.

Uhle admits he doesn't leave the Midlands for Clemson as much as he likes. He did make it to brother Jared Uhle's Spring 2024 graduation. It just so happens that Jared wants to follow in his big brother's footsteps - he has already submitted applications to law schools.

"The thing I'll remember the most about my time is that the Clemson Family line is very true," Ryan says. "From the moment I stepped on campus and moved into the dorms, it was incredibly easy to make friends and some people are still my best friends today. Each time you go back, it's the same feeling that you belong there."