As told by David Nelson
UVU is the place for first-generation students, for those who have had rough childhoods, for those who don't think they can succeed.
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I witnessed a lot as a kid growing up — suicide, addiction, all of those things; I witnessed it all. And going through all that, I realized this isn't necessarily what I want for my life. And I found myself sinking into those same things and even sinking into depression. Outwardly, I was a smiling face, a happy person. But on the inside, I was not a happy person.
Growing up in a small town, sports are life; you go through high school, graduate, and then you go work on a farm, which isn't a bad thing by any means. But so many people think that's their course, and it's set in stone. I got to a point where I was just depressed and felt stuck in that mindset. I felt like I was just falling into the same pattern of addiction and depression.
One night, I was driving home from a party, and all of a sudden, I started crying. Normally, I kept my emotions in, even after the loss of family members by suicide — my stepmother, who I viewed as my mother. All of those things that I had witnessed just boiled out. That led me to saying a prayer, which then led to me getting involved in a church organization, which then led to me going on a mission for that church.
When I came back, I felt I needed to go somewhere and find a home — not the same rural town that I grew up in. That led me to Utah.
Growing up in a rural community, a lot was lacking in healthcare. There weren’t good services for someone with special needs, like my brother, or for people who have addiction issues — I have a whole lot of family members who have struggled with that, and there are no resources anywhere for them. So, I really got interested in going into the healthcare field because I wanted to make a difference there. At first, I wanted to become an attorney. But then, through working with some awesome teachers at UVU, I realized that healthcare administration was the route I wanted to go.
I came to UVU because of the accessibility. It also had a healthcare administration program, which was cool, because a lot of schools don't. In my second semester, I had a healthcare administration class. Working with the professor, Heather Thiesset, and seeing her passion for the subject led me to realize this is what I'm passionate about. I’m interested in the policy side, but I also am interested in the overall and overarching aspect of healthcare.
Heather Thiesset is not just passionate about healthcare administration, but she also cares about every single student. I think you could ask any student that she's had, and they would all agree. She took the time to memorize every student's name and get to know them. When I was applying for master’s programs, I could write down Heather as a reference, and I knew that she was going to be able to speak on me specifically and my goals and interests in rural healthcare.
My current job aligns exactly with my original goal of being able to make an impact for people within the healthcare setting — not just the patient side but also the employee side. I get to work with each individual employee and help them find what makes them tick and find what they're good at.
That then translates to the patient getting good hospitality and care. Even though I don't directly work with them, I know that they will get the service that I would give them because the employees feel that I appreciate them. I'm helping them be successful so that they can help the patient with what they need.
I would tell students thinking about going to college to find your why. I would tell them to take the leap. You’ve got to just take the step. Because, you know, the first couple semesters may be tough. It may be hard at first. But a university like UVU sets you up for success.
If you don't feel like college is for you or feel like you can’t be successful at things, you can be — regardless of what your background is, regardless of a rough childhood, regardless of any bad thing that's happened to you. Take me, for example — regardless of what my past has been, I have been able to find myself and find what makes me happy.
UVU is the place for first-generation students, for those who have had rough childhoods, for those who don't think they can succeed. UVU is a place for them to succeed.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide or depression, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Trained professionals are available 24/7 to provide confidential support and assistance.
UVU Student Mental Health Services
Dr. Heather Thiesset
Healthcare Administration program
