“You belong here!”

I first stepped onto the UVU campus at 32 years of age. I was raised in Utah in a polygamist home with many siblings. I went to public school until after the 6th grade, when my parents decided their children should be homeschooled. Seventh-grade homeschooling went okay, 8th grade sort of diminished, and 9th grade was defunct. So, I never went to high school. I began working, and that’s where I found meaning in life — and I felt that that was enough. I didn’t really value education there in the beginning but I was an avid reader, and the more I read, the more I realized my profound educational deficit. I felt a need to transition beyond the way I was raised and taught in order to become more aware of how to help myself. I was hungry for more learning and more knowledge. My desire to learn is part of what led me to UVU.

I had to take the GED exam for my job, and it was surprisingly easy for me. This encouraged me to think of college as a possibility. It took a lot of time to convince myself I could do it before I could finally step onto this campus. I felt very hesitant. There are a lot of comfort zones I’ve had to move out of over time, and stepping onto this campus was one of them. I didn’t go to high school, and I doubted if I was smart enough for college. 

After several semesters of feeling somewhat out of place, I was sitting in an English 2020 class when the professor decided to discuss recent news about student suicides. My professor stopped her normal class routine and took the opportunity to address the issue by pointing to each of us individually, and stating, “You belong here!” to each and every single one of us individually! That act of love and concern was a turning point which helped me gain a sense of belonging and ownership here at UVU. I’ve met many people here like that professor who continued to mentor and help me. Great people. 

UVU being open enrollment is really important. Without open enrollment, where would my door into college have been? At UVU, you don’t need perfection or pedigree. You don’t need a rich family or above-average test scores. You could be at the very bottom, and UVU will take you with wide-open arms. If you are persistent and look for help, the resources on campus are endless. You could have a troubled history and still turn your life around if you want it. You’ve just got to want it.

After 11 semesters, and with the loving help of many, I graduated summa cum laude from UVU in May of 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Technology Management.