@theU

“I first performed at the U’s Babcock Theatre when I was in 4th grade when I was cast as one of the leads for our school play. As a young person pursuing acting, it was something really valuable to have that experience. That is when—as they say—I caught the theater bug.”

“When I was 32, my husband and in-laws convinced me to go back to school. They saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself…I guess you could say my time here has not only provided me with the necessary tools to find my voice. But more importantly, it’s helped me become the person I’ve always wanted to be.”

“There were days where I didn’t think I was going to make it, days when I couldn’t pay to go to school or didn’t have enough money and I couldn’t afford a meal. I kept believing, even in those dark times, that if you just keep pushing eventually those little pushes will compound to a big effect. Just keep going even when it doesn’t look like there’s light.”

“I wanted to quit many times along the way, especially last year after my older sister unexpectedly passed away. I held fast, though, to my belief that my hard work and a college education would allow me to break free of poverty.”

“While engineering is my first love, I can be found skiing, rock climbing, camping and hiking on the weekends. Playing on the University’s Club Water Polo Team and photography are additional outlets for enjoyment.”

“When I first started college and learned about environmental racism, such as the water crisis in Flint, MI., I was taken aback at how these environmental injustices are happening in communities of color that don’t have the resources to fight back against things that are affecting them. It became personal to me as a person of color, who comes from a community that has a large refugee community with a low socioeconomic status.”

“Being a user of public transit all my life, I see the numerous potentials here in Utah. What’s lacking here is the ‘necessity’ factor. People feel more in control of their schedule with driving.”

“I think the type of work that I do requires self-care, but in general, I like to build in a balance of work and relaxation into my daily life. Using public transportation helps me achieve that balance.”

“I’ve enjoyed bicycling since I was a kid, back in the Czech Republic. It provided the freedom to move around without depending on either public transit or my parents. When I moved to Salt Lake in 1998 for my postdoc it felt natural to continue riding. I save on a parking pass and car costs and it forces me to get up on my bike every morning and ride to work.”

“Three years ago in the Department of Pediatrics we started the Penelope Program to tackle the challenge of undiagnosed diseases in kids. Many of these kids have been through a diagnostic odyssey—they go from specialist to specialist until they come to what seems to be the end of the road.”