Get involved and just do everything. UVU is not just set up for you to be successful but to have fun.
I came to school here from Morgan, Utah. The day I moved out for college, my entire family moved out of state to Michigan. I really didn't have a home or a family here anymore. I had the place where I grew up, but my family wasn't there. From day one at UVU, I just felt completely at home on campus. UVU was my safe place to land. I always make the joke that I want to be buried beneath this campus when I die because I love it so much. UVU opened its arms and made me feel safe, like I belonged and had a place here. A place for me to grow, become a better person, and [become] a better version of myself.
When I look back on the highlight reel of my life when I'm 90 years old, UVU is going to be a shining point. I feel like a lot of schools say if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. At UVU, their attitude is that they're going to teach you how to handle it. They meet you where you're at and then get you to where you want to be. I was so involved at UVU; I was on the rugby team, I was a presidential intern for President Tuminez, I was in student government, and I was in student leadership. I loved it because UVU is about engaged learning, and they'll do whatever it takes to get your learning experience to an engaged level. I feel like I walked away from here wanting to be engaged in all the other parts of my life. There are a lot of things that I'm passionate about now, that I have a vision and a path for, that I wouldn't have if I hadn't come to UVU.
My proudest moment at UVU was serving as President Tuminez’s presidential intern. It was a very competitive position, so when I applied, I went into it full force. But I wasn't sure if I was going to get it. I remember the moment that I was told I had gotten it. I was out in the UVU courtyard while I was on the orientation team. I was with a bunch of freshmen and my manager at the time, and I got the call that I had made it, and I lost my mind! I was just so excited.
Within that internship, I was, as a student, just as involved as some of the VPs and President Tuminez herself. I was very proud that I was able to be involved. I helped write Talk with Tuminez, draft white papers, and put together Vision 2030. One of my favorite projects while [being] a Presidential Intern was creating Wolverine Stories. The project was inspired by President Tuminez wanting to highlight all the incredible individuals at UVU that other universities without open enrollment may not have. Bringing this to life and now being featured as a Wolverine Story myself has been a thrill.
I do a podcast with my business partner, Alicia Turner, who was also a presidential intern here for VP Kyle Reyes. We started this podcast when we were both students back in, I think, 2017 or 2018. So, we've been doing it for a few years, and it's been very cool to see how needed the conversation around perfectionism is. It's something we don't talk about a lot, and it really grows in the dark.
We've been stunned by how many people have had such a good reaction to it and have wanted to hear more about it. As of today, [our podcast] is in the top 5% of podcasts in the world. It's done really well, which we're happy about, and we're now developing it into a leadership course, one-on-one coaching, and consulting. We're hoping to have it full-time here in the next year or two.
Get involved and just do everything. UVU is not just set up for you to be successful but to have fun. There's so much for you to take advantage of. It's easy to get caught up in everything when you're a college student. I worked 40 hours a week and was a full-time student, so I get that it's busy. [But] I don't regret any time that I spent being involved at UVU. Whether it's in student leadership, clubs, sports, intramurals, or whatever it is, just get involved.
One of my life mottos is: It's either a good time or a good story, and if you're lucky, it's both! College throws a lot of stress and curveballs at you. There’s a lot of [curveballs] to juggle. But that motto always helps me through it.
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