“I grew up in Utah County and I was really excited to come to the U and experience a different community—where I could talk to people from different backgrounds, faiths and lived experiences. I also got a really nice scholarship to the U, so it was a good financial decision for me.

I am a junior studying international relations and environmental studies. I actually started out as a geology major, but I found environmental studies is a better fit for the things that I want to do. This major gives me more flexibility to choose the classes I am interested in, and I love the opportunity to study environmental issues from an interdisciplinary approach. I see climate change as an interdisciplinary issue. It’s not something that can be solved with just science. It’s been cool to explore how different disciplines can approach the challenge.

I am pre-law, and I’ve gotten really involved with the Hinckley Institute of Politics. Through this, I’ve been able to see different career opportunities in government and the legal field, as well as interact with a lot of really cool and interesting people. One of the highlights of my experience with the Hinckley Institute was going to D.C. last summer for an internship doing national security research.

The friends I have made at the U are the highlight of my college experience. The U is the kind of school where you can meet people who have different opinions than you. I have met people from very different backgrounds and experiences and I have learned a lot from them. I have also been able to share my own experiences. I feel like I’ve become a better person from what I’ve learned both in and outside of my classes.

Coming to the University of Utah has taught me different ways to think about and approach problems. Now when I look at issues, I don’t think about them from one perspective. I look at it from a variety of different perspectives. There are a lot of different ways to approach challenges and a lot of ways to think about issues. That’s a big thing I got from my undergraduate experience so far that I’m excited to take into the rest of my career.”

— Desi Crane, a junior majoring in international studies and environmental studies from Utah County