91¶ÌÊÓƵ

Why Weber State?

I went to another university for my first year, and I was miserable. My brother graduated this spring, and he was already at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, and he loved it. Classes are small, professors are engaging, and you feel heard. He said to come and try it. I wasn't sure if I even wanted to, but I ended up here because of my brother.

Why Economics and Mechanical Engineering?

Mechanical engineering was because I wanted to build a school in my country. Originally I thought the way to do that was with a political science major - going into politics. I came to the USA when I was young, about 9 years old. I soon realized that in order to help my country I can't be in politics. A lot of people in politics start with good intentions, but without money and resources, in a corrupt country like mine, the good ideals you started with tend to disappear. At the school that I was at previously, I was taking a major class that was in engineering, and I fell in love with that, so I figured that field would be a good way to accomplish my goals. As for economics, Dr. Roberts approached me, here at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, and said that I have the mind and the drive for economics. I thought about it and was considering doing the minor. But after looking at the classes required, I was only 4 courses away from a major in Quantitative Economics. So I felt like I could do that.

Teachers Believed in Me

I am a double major - in Quantitative economics and mechanical engineering. I had to take intro to microeconomics and Dr. Gavin Roberts was my teacher. It was when we were just coming out of the pandemic, and the classroom was full. At first, I was confused about the structure of his class. What I came to understand was that he wanted his students to engage and lead the class. He would introduce the theory, and then he wanted the students to make the class theirs. And at first, I was put off by that. We started talking about monopolies and governments. My dream was to go back home to Honduras and build a school. He learned about my goal and he took that and made it his own. He introduced me to books and connected me to his friend who is an economist as well and who knows about how schools effect economics. I started to see that he believed in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. His classes started to make more sense and come alive for me. He set the precedent for me, and my college career from then on. Because of him and the fact that he had these beliefs and saw something in me that I never saw in myself, it started a snowball effect and things started to happen for me. All because he believed in me.

Faculty Impact

All the Economics professors are really vested. Dr. Alvaro, Dr. Keinsley, and Dr. Jennifer Gnagey. Dr. Alvaro - he is an amazing professor. He engages you. At the beginning of the year I was struggling and not doing well, and I don't usually like to talk about my problems. He asked me what was going on. I could see he was in the middle of something and was very busy. But he took an hour just to listen to me. That's the type of professor and man he is. Dr. Kensley doesn't take crap from anybody and I love that about him. When you get an A in his class, it's because you earned it. You really learn in his class - he encourages you not to learn just for the grade, but to learn to learn. Dr. Gnagey always says that she's really shy, but in my opinion she is one of the best professors in the business school. She enjoys the back-and-forth with her students and she really takes her time to make sure all of her students get their questions answered. She makes time available after classes, and will stay with you however long you need to help you. And that says a lot for a professor that has a lot to do and her own research to finish. Her students are a priority. There are some professors at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ that sometimes forget that, but never at the Economics department. They are always there to help you.

Advice

Ask all the questions, and go bug your professors. One of my dearest friends graduated last December. If it wasn't for her I would have quit school. I had approached her because I was struggling in my class, and she said she would go with me to speak to my professor. I felt much more comfortable after that. If you go and bug them and really make friends in the classroom, these will be your biggest tools to get through college. The professors have been in the field, they will write you letters of recommendation if they have gotten to know you and your level of commitment to the materials.

What’s Next

I got hired on Hill Air Force Base as an engineer, but I'm hoping to go to law school. I'm playing with the idea of becoming a patent lawyer. It would play up my economics and engineering skills. There's a new surge in the job market now for patent skills with an engineering background. All of the economics professors have always said that economists score high in the LSATs, too, so I won't feel as scared taking the exams, even though I didn't do a pre-law degree. I won't worry that I will do poorly. HAFB liked that I have the economics background. They work with gear and landing, and they work with the commercial and private sector, so the more qualifications you have the more valuable you are. I am also still planning to make it back to Honduras to build a school someday.