"I have relationships with Weber State professors that will last a lifetime. As president of the child and family studies student organization, I had many opportunities to work closely with faculty members who were not just interested in me as a student; they were interested in me as a person.

"One of my Weber State heroes is Dr. Paul Schvaneveldt. He is a master teacher and researcher, and the conversations we had in his office about school and about life really transformed me.

"I am currently in a graduate program at Oklahoma State University. My dream is to get a master's degree and then a Ph.D. Then I'd like to come back to teach at Weber State and have a private practice as well."