I grew up in Riverton, Utah, which is about 30 minutes away from UVU. Growing up, my older brother was my greatest example. I wanted to be just like him. With just a year and a half age difference between us, I was always one step behind him. My hobbies, favorite basketball teams, likes, and dislikes mirrored his. He took me under his wing throughout high school and pushed me to be a better athlete and student. My brother has always been my mentor and tutor in life. We played different sports in high school, but he always pushed me to be good at basketball and still focus on my schoolwork.

My story took an interesting turn in high school. In the first year and a half, I went to Riverton High School and played basketball, but I did not have a solid friend group. I had a couple of things come up and realized that I was not happy with where I was at in my life. I didn't have the best social life, and I didn't feel like I had a lot going for me. I knew that I needed to make a change. In the second half of my junior year, I transferred to a different high school, which presented me with more obstacles. Around the same time, we moved from my childhood home. I had a lot of anxiety about going to school, and not having any friends made it worse. My senior year was incredibly challenging. I was still playing basketball, but the stress of moving away from my childhood home, attending a new high school my senior year, and having only a few friends made me want my senior year to be over as quickly as possible. At the time, it felt like my world was falling apart, but now, I know that everything was coming together perfectly.

A couple of months before graduating, I was not sure where I wanted to go to college. I applied to several schools, but none of them stood out to me. Around that time, I applied for the UVU Ambassador program. Before applying for the program, I knew nothing about UVU. I had never been there and didn't know anyone that had gone to school there. To enter the ambassador program, students apply online. If their application is selected, they attend a day-long interview process where they meet the ambassadors, play games with them, and have a series of interviews. I was fortunate enough to be selected to attend the interview day.

On the morning of the interview day, I was informed about some heartbreaking news that my grandma had passed away; it was one of the hardest things I had ever gone through. Yet again, I was presented with another difficult change on the morning of a critical day. Because I had become accustomed to change, I put my emotions aside for a few hours and went to my interviews.

There were so many amazing ambassadors and people applying for the program. That one day, I met more people and made more friends than I had in my entire life, and I knew that even if I didn't make it into the ambassador program, I wanted to attend UVU. To my amazement, I was accepted into the program and started making plans for my future as a Wolverine.

My UVU career started in the fall of 2018. Because of my involvement in the ambassador program, I instantly made so many friends, and I fell in love with the school. That semester, I took 17 credits, which was hard. I loved every single one of my professors — they were so good to me. Between making a lot of friends, being involved in school programs, and learning in my classes, I had such a great first semester at UVU. I wanted to give back to the university that has given so much to me by getting involved in other leadership programs.

 

The following semester, I applied to be an Executive Events ambassador, and I started to fulfill those responsibilities in fall 2019. So, starting my sophomore year, I met many different vice presidents and donors around the university as I helped with significant events. It was fascinating to see behind the scenes of large events and understand each person's importance in planning and executing their part. Because I enjoyed helping with executive events, I applied to be an Executive Events ambassador chair and assumed that position at the beginning of my junior year.

While I branched out to other leadership programs, I applied to be an ambassador manager and was granted that role the summer before my junior year. As a manager, I was given leadership of a small team of eight ambassadors and was charged with helping them become more effective in their responsibilities. This role allowed me to help them feel included and be a part of a team that was there for them.

At the beginning of fall 2020, a friend texted me and told me that I should try out for the UVU men's basketball team. Basketball was something that I had always been passionate about, and so I knew I had to try out. I tried out for the team and gave it my all. About a week and a half later, I got a call from the coaches, saying they wanted to offer me a spot on the team. I started practicing and working out with the team every day. It's hard work, and it's tough, but we push each other, and it's a lot of fun being on the court and in the weight room together. I am proud to represent the university as part of the men's basketball team.

I am currently into the upper-division portion of my major. I am studying digital marketing with a double minor in business management and digital media. I have always loved the idea of marketing a product to people, but I also have a very creative mind that thrives on designing things and working with technology. I will graduate in spring 2022 and am looking to do an internship in the web development field. One day, I hope to have my own digital marketing and web development firm.

Looking back, I realize that going through all that change early in my life was one of the greatest things that ever happened to me. Especially now, when the world we used to know is all but gone, I can cope with change because I have been through it before. I am so grateful for the many people who have made my journey possible. I am thankful that my brother pushed me to work hard and put my studies and athletic pursuits first. He is now attending UVU as well, and we see each other on campus. From day one, I knew that UVU was home. I could never have imagined the things I have been able to accomplish, surrounded by supportive professors, teammates, family, and friends.