Ralph Protano
Passion, Purpose, and Place: Ralph Protano’s Story
Ralph Protano is a 2007 graduate of Marywood University with a degree in Graphic Design and is now the owner of Forest City Trails, LLC. With more than 15 years of professional trail experience, including roles with Cleveland Metroparks and Holden Forests & Gardens, Ralph has built a career that extends beyond traditional graphic design. Today, he combines creativity, planning, leadership, and entrepreneurship to help communities create sustainable trail systems and strengthen their connection to the places around them.
Ralph chose Marywood because “the campus just felt right” to him. He was drawn to the University’s mountain setting and natural beauty, as well as the contrast between the classic feel of the Liberal Arts building and Rotunda and the more modern spaces like the art building. “Even then, place and landscape mattered to me, so that setting made an impression,” he says. He was also looking for a smaller, tight-knit community where he could build meaningful relationships rather than “disappear into a huge university.” Marywood’s Catholic identity and mission were also important to him. “Altogether, it felt like a place where I could grow, find my people, and build a life beyond just going to class.”
When reflecting on the biggest influence on his time at Marywood, Ralph points to the University’s culture of service rather than one particular person or experience. “What had the biggest influence on me was the culture of service that seemed to run through so much of my time at Marywood,” he says. Through work within the University and service to the surrounding community, students were encouraged to “look beyond ourselves” and consider how their skills could benefit others.
That lesson has stayed with Ralph throughout his career. “It helped shape the belief that a career shouldn’t be measured only by financial success, but also by the impact you have on people, communities, and the places around you,” he says. “That idea has become one of the pillars of my career and continues to influence the kind of work I choose to do today.”
During his time at Marywood, Ralph played on the baseball team and served as a Resident Assistant. Baseball gave him the opportunity “to be part of a team and build lasting relationships,” while his role as an RA became an important part of his experience building community and connecting with students from across campus.
One of the most meaningful aspects of being an RA was the friendships Ralph developed with international students, including many from across Asia. He enjoyed learning about their cultures, helping them feel connected to the campus community, and building friendships with people whose backgrounds were very different from his own. Table tennis became a memorable part of those relationships. While it was never an official event or organized tournament, it quickly became a popular way for students to spend time together between classes, with a friendly sense of competition that turned it into an informal tradition and another way to bring people together.
Music also played an important role in Ralph’s Marywood experience. As an RA, he helped organize open-mic nights, jam nights, and acoustic karaoke, sometimes participating by playing guitar. These events connected him with music majors and students from parts of campus he might not otherwise have met through graphic design, baseball, or residence life. They also exposed him to different musicians and styles at a time when discovering new music was not as easy as it is today. “Music became another way for me to make friends, explore different parts of the campus community, and step beyond my usual circles,” he says.
Ralph credits his Marywood education with preparing him for his career in ways that extend far beyond his original field of study. His graphic-design training continues to influence his work “whether I’m creating maps and planning documents, communicating complex ideas visually, developing professional deliverables for clients, or even designing the logo and identity for my own company.”
His leadership experiences were equally important. “Having the chance to take on responsibility, organize people, and lead gave me the confidence to make some of the bigger leaps in my career, including eventually starting my own business,” he says. Ralph also values Marywood’s liberal arts foundation, which taught him to think beyond a single discipline. Today, his work regularly brings together “design, communication, planning, problem solving, leadership, finance, and working with people from very different backgrounds.” He says that the broader foundation “has been incredibly valuable.”
One of Ralph’s proudest professional accomplishments has been building Forest City Trails into a company that makes a meaningful difference in communities, particularly rural communities and smaller agencies. His work helps places with tremendous natural assets develop sustainable trail systems that can improve recreation, tourism, quality of life, and people’s connection to a place.
Through his work, Ralph has learned that meaningful public infrastructure is not always about having the largest budget or organization. “With thoughtful planning, practical design, and a willingness to work creatively with the resources available, strategic investments can create lasting benefits for a community,” he says. “Being able to build a successful business around that idea and help places accomplish projects they may not have thought were possible is something I’m incredibly proud of.” Ralph is particularly excited about projects that look beyond a single trail and help organizations develop a long-term vision for an entire system. “Seeing thoughtful planning turn into real, lasting infrastructure and knowing those places will serve communities for decades is incredibly rewarding,” he says.
Looking back, Ralph believes Marywood played an important role in his personal growth. “Marywood helped me become more confident in who I was and more willing to step outside of my comfort zone,” he says. The smaller campus community gave him opportunities to build relationships, take on leadership roles, and become involved in experiences he might not have pursued at a larger university.
His time at Marywood also broadened his perspective. Through the people he met, service work, and experiences inside and outside the classroom, he became more aware of “the importance of community, responsibility, and contributing something beyond yourself.” Those ideas, he says, “continue to shape the way I approach my family, my work, and the communities I serve today.”
Although Ralph now lives in Ohio and has not been back to campus in nearly 15 years, he has continued to follow Marywood’s progress. He has been “impressed by how much the University has continued to evolve,” noting the growth of the campus, the addition of programs, and the development of distinctive areas of study. He believes Marywood’s willingness to evolve while developing areas of specialization is important for its future. “Offering distinctive programs that meet real needs helps strengthen Marywood’s identity and, I believe, its long-term future,” he says.
For current Marywood students, Ralph’s advice is simple: “Get involved.” He encourages students to explore the things that genuinely interest them, meet people outside their usual circles, and make an effort to participate in campus life. “Some of the most valuable parts of my Marywood experience happened outside the classroom through athletics, leadership, service, faith, and the relationships I built along the way.”
At the same time, Ralph encourages students to take their studies seriously and use college as an opportunity to grow as a whole person. “Make space to develop your values and your faith, not just your résumé,” he says. While students may not know exactly where their careers will take them, Ralph believes that is part of the journey. “The experiences, skills, relationships, and sense of purpose you build now can influence your life in ways you won’t fully appreciate until years later.”
For Ralph, those experiences have continued to shape his path from Graphic Design student to entrepreneur and trail advocate. His work today reflects the same values he developed at Marywood: creativity, leadership, service, and a belief that thoughtful work can make a lasting difference in communities and the places they call home.