There is always a time in one’s college career that graduation looms. Spring 2014 is my semester to finish all of those projects and writing I must do for my dissertation and prepare for the “real world” adventure. When I moved to Laramie I couldn’t wait for this semester to come but now that it is here it is bittersweet!
After spending three and half years on the University of Wyoming campus I have met many inspiring students and mentors that have made me a better researcher and educator. These people have driven me to make my research practical and have molded my future goals for teaching and making agriculture sustainable. However, it is also these people who have taught me the importance of being a POKE.
Many members of my family have been Pokes but I never wanted to dawn that name because I didn’t understand what it meant to graduate from a small university that is student oriented and had great alumni support. On any given day a person can walk across campus in 10 minutes, 15 if the wind is blowing and it is icy and see friends/family, alumni and professors that know you by name. Having attended other universities I appreciate this quality of small hometown that makes the University of Wyoming special and students feel like people and not numbers. It always boggles my mind when you can have a brown and gold shirt on while traveling and you meet a person who went to UW who is now your best-friend because you both are POKES!
Too often people associate the word small with not offering a sound education or opportunities and that is what makes a student’s time at the University of Wyoming extra special. The University of Wyoming has top notch faculty, small classes and boundless opportunities to travel in study-abroad programs, for research or during internships. I think that the ability for undergraduates to get involved in research at the University of Wyoming allows them to get exposed to ideas and learn skills that cannot or aren’t taught in a classroom setting. These opportunities can change a person’s life!
As I apply for jobs I find myself scoping out areas that have a small town feel but have endless possibilities. Despite my excitement for graduation I am not looking forward to leaving Laramie in the rear-view mirror because I will miss the town, people and opportunities that are here. I hope that in my future I can implement internship opportunities and guide students through their college journey with as much enthusiasm and energy as I have been shown at the University of Wyoming.