“I want students to succeed, and I like that my work gets to help them do that,” says Rachel Saunders, Utah Valley University’s (UVU) Manager of Enrollment Strategy and Outreach at Concurrent Enrollment.

Rachel was born and raised in Henderson, Nevada. After graduating from high school, Rachel moved to Utah, where she attended Utah State University (USU) and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications disorders and deaf education. While completing her education, Rachel worked at Old Navy and on USU campus as an orientation leader, a student advisor, and a receptionist, all while additionally working as a nanny for a family in Logan.

After graduating in 2016, Rachel wasn’t sure the direction she wanted to take her degree in and decided to apply for a job at UVU. She accepted a position as a university recruiter. Rachel stayed in that position for two years before she moved to UVU’s Women’s Success Center as a coordinator. In this position, Rachel was responsible for student programming, leadership programs, and scholarship awarding. Her time in this position was, “rewarding, fulfilling, and very fun.”

In 2019, Rachel started her master’s program at UVU, and two years later, graduated with her master’s degree in education with an emphasis in higher education leadership. While completing her master’s degree, Rachel made the transition to Concurrent Enrollment and in January of 2021, she became the Concurrent Enrollment Bridge Program Manager. In this position, Rachel was in charge of coordinating with the language and cultural departments and the high schools in matters such as scheduling and teacher needs.

After three and a half years, Rachel had a Concurrent Enrollment job shift and became the Enrollment Strategy and Outreach Manager. In this new role, Rachel supports the Enrollment Services team by providing outreach strategy for Concurrent Enrollment’s outlier schools. Additionally, Rachel helps to identify and pursue opportunities that will promote the enrollment process and better develop communication plans, all while collaborating with the Enrollment Services Director.

In her different positions at Concurrent Enrollment Rachel has had the opportunity to work with many different teachers, instructors, and faculty members. Of these great individuals, Rachel said, “Different people bring different talents and experiences to the program.”

In addition to Rachel’s great education and career, Rachel met and married her husband while she was attending school at USU. She and her husband have been together for ten years, and they have two little boys. Her family enjoys reading, spending time together, and working on updates to their home.

When asked why she thought Concurrent Enrollment was such an important program, Rachel said, “Concurrent Enrollment gives you a taste of how to navigate a university.” She continued, “Concurrent Enrollment courses can help you test out things that you enjoy doing, in a room with peers who share your interests. You have time to explore. You have time to figure out what you want to do.”

Rachel said one of her favorite parts of her job is seeing that students are being successful and doing things that are going to help them get ahead in their future. “I love being able to sit here and know that because of the to-do list that I get to complete, students get to participate in things that help them to grow. I want students to succeed, and I like that my works gets to help them do that.”

Rachel’s work has not only helped so many students to succeed, but she has also helped Concurrent Enrollment be extremely successful. We are so grateful to have this Wolverine on our team!