“I am the first person in my family to go to college. I have three older siblings, and they couldn’t attend college once they came of age. My parents are immigrants from Mexico, and neither of them was able to finish high school. They came from an impoverished town. My mother didn’t make it past 6th grade because she had 11 siblings — her parents couldn’t afford to send all their children to school. My father made it to his sophomore year of high school. I knew that ever since I was little, knowing what my siblings and parents went through, I was going to college. I told myself, “I have to. I have to do it because they didn’t have the means to — and I do, so I’m going to do it.” My siblings are much older than me, and they supported me by telling me that they would help fund my education when I grew up. School has always been very important to me! You can ask any of my friends — I obsess over my education and my grades, which is how I managed to earn a scholarship to UVU.”

Karen Magaña ‘22, Accounting

For Henry Freeman, a finance student in the Woodbury School of Business, donor support was instrumental in his decision to attend UVU. The support he received through donor-funded scholarships like Woodbury School of Business Dean’s Merit Scholarship and the Student Development and Well-Being Scholarship has enhanced his studies and facilitated his involvement in student programs, for which he is deeply grateful. Henry is a firm believer that being a Wolverine means giving it your all, both in and out of the classroom. He said, “UVU has always kept its doors open to me. From the first time I set foot on campus I felt welcome, with professors, counselors, programs, and other organizations to guide me. This helpful mix of support has enabled me create an achievable and realistic path towards my goals in life. UVU opened its doors for me, and now I can open more doors in my own life.”

Henry Freeman ‘25, Finance