“You never know what life is going to hand you. You just enjoy the ride.” Becca Rothey, Program Manager, Academic Success and High School Relationships for Utah Valley University’s (UVU) Concurrent Enrollment, has enjoyed the ride that is her life and has lived it entirely to the fullest. 

Becca was born and raised in Gooding, Idaho, where she lived until she moved to Rexburg, Idaho, to attend Ricks College. After attending there for a year, Becca moved to Utah to be close to her siblings. After moving here, she got a job at Sizzler as a salad bar girl and eventually met her husband, who was working as a cook. She worked there for about three years and was able to move up to management.

Becca and her husband decided to grow their family and had five children, four boys and one girl. While her children were growing up, she worked about fifty percent of the time and dedicated the other fifty percent to raising her family. Becca worked in retail and food and was working as the manager of a Subway, when her husband sadly passed away. Her life had a major shift after this, and she moved around, including moving to Hawaii, before coming back to Utah and getting a job as an escrow officer where her main responsibility was to help people close on their homes.

While attending a church meeting, Becca met and eventually married her current husband. Together, they doubled the size of their family and the memories they have been able to make. She now has ten children, 37 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

In 2008, Becca started working as an Administrative Assistant in the Concurrent Enrollment Department at UVU. She was responsible for finances, processing new instructor applications, answering phones, and managing the overall functioning of the office.

After thirteen years in that position, Becca applied for and accepted her current position as the Professional Development Coordinator. Her responsibilities in this position include being the primary contact between high school instructors and Concurrent Enrollment, being the instructors’ point of contact, training the new instructors, helping with FERPA training, and planning and executing the annual Professional Development Conference. And recently, Becca underwent a title shift and is now the Program Manager for Concurrent Enrollment Academic Success and High School Relations.

When asked why students should do Concurrent Enrollment, Becca explained that it is a great way to give students the confidence to do college. “If they have the desire to go to college, they can do it!”

When Becca first began in Concurrent Enrollment, there were only six people in the department, compared to the 30 employees now. Of this change, Becca said, “It’s been so rewarding over the years to watch the program develop, change, and gain traction.” Though the program started small, she chose to stick with it because she loves what she does and the people she works with.

“You never know what life is going to hand you. You just enjoy the ride. Concurrent Enrollment has been a big part of my journey. I’m really grateful I have been able to work with good people. Life can be hard at times; it’s good when you have a good job to go to, one that you enjoy.” We are very grateful this Wolverine’s ride led her to Concurrent Enrollment and for all she has done to help with the journey here!