My name is Mark Driggs. I am a national security studies graduate from Utah Valley University. I served as a presidential intern on campus. I grew up in Provo, about 15 minutes away from UVU, and attended elementary through high school there.

I am the third of four kids — I have one brother and two sisters. We played tennis growing up, and I traded my racket for dancing shoes and danced throughout high school until partway through my senior year.

A defining moment that led me to UVU was not being accepted to Brigham Young University during my senior year of high school. I was aiming for BYU as everyone in my family and a majority of my friends had gone or were going to go there. Although I was upset, I decided to apply to UVU and figured that I could transfer to BYU after my first year. It’s funny to think back on it now because I absolutely love UVU — and I am grateful I did not get into BYU, as I would have missed out on the opportunities that I have had here.  

While my overall experience at UVU has been very positive, I’ve had my ups and downs. During my first semester, I failed every class except for one. At that point, I figured I didn’t want to do higher education at all. Luckily, my parents talked me into going back. The following fall semester I returned and did a little better. Things seemed to improve from there. I slowly began to adjust to university life with the help of many amazing individuals. However, I would later fail every class for two consecutive semesters. That was a dark time in my life. One UVU faculty member who was instrumental in my return and success after that time was Ryan Vogel, a national security studies professor. Professor Vogel encouraged me and helped me get back into the swing of things. His and others’ efforts started me on an upward trajectory, which allowed me to succeed both as a student and in my personal life.  

I am leaving UVU with a degree in national security studies, and I am fortunate to have been a part of such a unique program. I am not aware of any other undergraduate programs in Utah that are offered like the one at UVU. It is a niche, hands-on program that allows students to delve into the many facets of national security. The majority of the professors within the program have worked or are currently working with different agencies and departments involving national security, such as the CIA, NSA, and military. I believe this speaks to UVU’s emphasis on engaged learning and focus on practical versus theoretical experience. 

A great example of UVU’s emphasis on hands-on learning is the opportunity I and fellow Wolverines had this last semester to participate as a team in the 2021 D.C. Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge. D.C. Cyber 9/12 is a national cyber policy and strategy competition held by the Atlantic Council. The competition began with a description of a fictional cyber catastrophe. Each team was responsible for creating a theoretical plan and advising the United States on how to move forward.

Our team was comprised of many talented individuals. We worked together and ended up winning the competition. This experience was very beneficial because it allowed us to apply the things we had learned as students to a scenario reminiscent of real life.

Another big experience I had at UVU was being a presidential intern for Val Peterson, vice president of Administration and Strategic Relations. I highly encourage anyone who is looking for an excellent leadership experience to apply to the Presidential Internship Program. It is the best job I have ever had and has felt like the best way to cap my time here at UVU. Interestingly, the majority of my work was related to my major. VP Peterson teaches a national security studies course on strategy in the fall, which is where he and I originally met. As his intern, I have been working on the development and advancement of this course. I was also able to be a teaching assistant, which provided me with a lot of hands-on experience. I worked closely with him at each point throughout the course and was able to learn a lot from him. Another opportunity I was fortunate to be a part of was the Presidential Lecture Series in the spring of 2021. The speaker was a well-known national security scholar who I am a huge fan of, so it was great to be involved in that event. 

Throughout my time at UVU, I was involved in two clubs on campus, the first being the Utah International Mountain Forum. The forum is a coalition of clubs that is focused on sustainable mountain development and contributes to the United Nations’ sustainability efforts. My last position with the club was the vice president of outreach. The second club I was very active in was the National Security Society, where I became the president for the 2019-2020 academic school year. It was fun but really busy. We had a goal of holding a club event every week, so there was a lot of planning. We were able to set up a speaker series for the club and found a great system for making events happen before the pandemic. UVU emphasizes clubs heavily, and I think that provides great opportunities in connecting with others, building resumes, and gaining a better sense of belonging on campus. 

With my time at UVU coming to a close, I am looking forward to applying to graduate school in the fall to obtain a master’s degree related to national security. I am planning to apply to schools in the Washington D.C. and Boston areas. After that, we will see whether I continue with school or begin work. UVU has positively altered my view on education and demonstrated that amazing opportunities accompany receiving a higher education.