“My family moved to Salt Lake City when I was ten years old and I haven’t looked back since. I had the privilege to grow up with some of the world’s greatest skiing and biking in my backyard as well as incredible access to awesome places like Moab, Jackson, various national parks and so much more nearby. Many summers and winters were spent perpetually outside playing and enjoying this beautiful place I call home. When it came time to choosing a college, the University of Utah was pretty much a no brainer. How could I say no to a top-notch school located in the mecca of outdoor activities?

Five years, a lot of powder days and late nights later, I’ve recently graduated from the U with a double major in Sociology and Environmental and Sustainability Studies. Currently I am planning on pursuing my MBA next fall, racing my bike in local Enduro series during the summer months and skiing for Sego Ski Co., a new up and coming, handcrafted-in-the-U.S. ski company during the winter. Between my degrees and unending passion for playing outside, I hope to be a voice for environmental stewardship and advocacy within the Wasatch. As more people are discovering what this great place holds, it’s become even more important to protect and take care of the places we love to recreate in. The Wasatch is as grand as it is delicate and heavy use in recent years has caused a great deal of erosion and degradation. It’s important to find a balance between sustainability and making sure that everyone has access to the mountains. If anything I hope to be a link between the recreationists, preservationists and the Wasatch Range.”

— Hailey Schiff, Class of 2016