MIKAI
business administration '20 outstanding graduate

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WHY WEBER STATE?

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Higher education has always been in my future; it was always a goal of mine to attend a college or university and further my education beyond high school. I’ve grown up and lived in the same house in Riverdale (only ten minutes away from the main campus) for almost my entire life. I have always called Utah my home and I wanted to stay here throughout my educational journey. I started with FYE 1105 in the summer of 2015, just after “graduating” from T.H. Bell Junior High School. After completing FYE 1105, I knew I wanted to continue my education at Weber State University and shoot for an associate degree.

I graduated with my Associate of Science in General Studies approximately one month before I graduated from Bonneville High School by taking concurrent enrollment courses at Bonneville and night classes at WSU. Throughout my years at WSU I was a babysitter, dog walker, Door Dasher, and Program Manager at Hill Air Force Base.

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WHY BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION?

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As I got closer to finishing my two-year degree, I chose to major in Business Administration for my bachelor’s degree because I knew the career opportunities/possibilities would be endless with a degree from the business world; it was diverse, broad, and at that point I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to become – I wasn’t quite set on any career path. After all, for the last two years I had been experimenting with a degree in General Studies and getting a taste of all the different majors/career fields and loving it!

If I am being honest, I was never certain I had chosen the right major until I received a message from a family member about an internship at Hill Air Force Base later that year. I received the message in October. I had just started my first semester as a pure Wildcat, as I had just graduated high school 3 months prior. That message changed my life forever.
My great grandfather served in the Air Force during World War II and we were very close during his time here on Earth. When I received the news that I was going to be working for the Air Force at Hill AFB where he had worked decades prior, I was certain I had made the right decision to major in Business Administration at Weber State.

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INCREDIBLE ACCESS

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The class sizes are small! Most of my professors were able to remember their students by name. I was able to get to know my professors and I felt comfortable reaching out to them / staying after class for a few minutes if I needed help. I will keep in touch with many of my professors, even years down the road because I was able to build relationships with them.

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ADVICE

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Take the chance and follow through with it! There are so many great reasons to be a part of the Goddard School – I don’t and will never regret my decision to attend such a great school.

Keep your schoolwork organized. Staying organized will help you stay on top of your workload, so you don’t miss anything. I personally like to color-code my notes and I can’t go without a physical paper planner!

Make friends. There is an immense amount of kindness and inclusion at WSU, it isn’t hard to meet people or make friends on campus. Some of my best friends to this day are individuals I met at WSU!

The best places to study at the main WSU campus are: Downstairs in the Student Services Center, upstairs in Lindquist Hall, or in a study room in the Stewart Library. Also, WSU has a Stress Relief Center that is a fantastic (and free) resource to utilize/visit when you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

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At just 20 years old I am part of the Depot Partnering team working as a Logistics Management Specialist / Program Manager for the F-22 Program Office at Hill Air Force Base. Next month I will enter the PAQ (Palace Acquire) Program in which I will rotate to a new location on base each year, for three years. Also, I plan to apply for a Master's program within the next year. I am so excited to start this new chapter of my life!

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