I began my journey at Weber State University seven years ago as a 21-year-old non-traditional student and second-generation Wildcat. I’m the daughter of an awesome single mom who attended WSU during the earliest years of my life. I remember picking concord grapes off the vines outside my preschool classroom in the McKay Education Building, and I can still smell the gunpowder from the fireworks that colored the sky at my first Pops Concert. I grew up on this campus, and it has always felt like home. If you recognize my name, it’s probably from The Signpost, where I’ve worked on the graphics desk since spring 2022 and as the graphics editor since that summer. Between working full-time and my part-time coursework, I wasn’t sure if I could give The Signpost the attention it deserved. Nevertheless, I persevered, and now, words can’t explain how thankful I am to have been a part of the Signpost family for years.
To the staff of The Signpost, thank you for continually putting your confidence in me and allowing me to tell your stories on our pages. Because of your support, I leave with a national award for one of my front-page designs and the confidence that I deserve it. To Emi, thank you for being an amazing friend and co-editor. To Justin, thank YOU for always being someone I can always pick mutually-respectful fights with. To Xochitl, Matt and Izabelle, I know you all will do amazing work both with the paper and beyond into your respective careers.
To Jean Norman, who I know is reading this because it’s her fault I stuck with it so damn long, your never-ending support and tutelage has done more and meant more to me than I could describe in all the pages of this paper. From you, I learned more than the academic side of journalism; I learned what it means to be an active participant in our society and how to amplify the voices of others through my work. Most of all, I learned I was worth all the confidence you poured into me.
Thanks to Jean’s advice, I began my multimedia journalism degree in 2022, which allowed me to take classes I loved at night and online. I found my love of communication in my first semester public speaking class, but now, I have a home in the Department of Communication with so many helpful and incredible people.
To Anne Bialowas, thank you for working hard behind the scenes to keep me on track for graduation. To Sare Gardner, the unsung hero of the communications department, thank you for always answering any number of random questions and emails at what felt like the speed of light. To Deann Shepherd Carver, thank you for sharing your knowledge of strategic communications, which has been an integral part of my professional presence. To Nicola Corbin, one of the few regrets I have when leaving this campus is that I didn’t get to take more classes from you. I loved learning from you and the environment you facilitate in your classroom.
To Colleen Packer, Sarah Steimel, Stephen Salmon, Brett Warnock and the rest of the communication department, thank you for all the knowledge you shared with me. Whether it’s never being afraid to find a connection with a stranger or understanding my rights and responsibilities as a U.S. citizen, what you have taught me has made a huge difference in my life.
Beyond the Department of Communication, thank you to April Woods for teaching me self-love and compassion through some incredibly difficult times. Words can’t express my gratitude, but I want you to know that I carry on as a stronger person, thanks to you. Also, thank you to Clint Johnson for being the first professor to see my potential as a writer and for the recommendation letter that gave me the confidence to pursue professional writing. And, of course, to Jennifer Wilcox for helping me overcome one of my biggest fears as a non-traditional student: math. Somehow, you made me love it, and for any student needing a math class, take it from Wilcox. Her genuine care for her students is incredibly valuable, and I cannot recommend learning from her enough.
One final thank you goes to the people who I really wouldn’t have made it without. To my family, with whom I missed lots of time over the last seven years, thanks for working around my crazy schedule to ensure I’m included. Thank you to my friends for sticking with me through this insanity and always picking up where we left off. Thank you to my mom, Stacy, for being my biggest hero. I am who I am because of you, and I hope to continue to make you proud for years to come. To my brother, Milo, thank you for being strong when it matters most, for rescuing me more times than I can count and for the future rescues still to come. Finally, my love, my partner, my best friend, Morgan. Whether you acted as an impromptu cameraman, an always-willing survey participant, a sometimes-willing test subject, or emotional support, you’ve risen above and beyond every task I’ve asked of you and of those I didn’t have to ask. You know me better than I know myself, and you have somehow always known the kind of support I need each and every day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I love you forever and always.
I wrote this column this way to show the teachers and faculty of Weber State University that their work and effort directly impact the lives of their students. Bleeding purple doesn’t even begin to describe the dedication and genuine care I felt from every teacher I interacted with during my time at Weber, and I promise it doesn’t go unnoticed.
To the students, I offer this advice: You can do this. Never give up. Regardless of your background, economic status, academic experience or roadblocks waiting to be thrown at you, you have thousands of peers ready to support you and tens of thousands of years of knowledge within these walls. Everyone here wants to see you succeed. Never be afraid to ask for help, and never be afraid to lean on others. Always remember that you are worth it, you can do it, and everyone here bleeds purple just for you.
