After ‘messy’ break from college, mom finds growth at Weber State
OGDEN, Utah — When she thinks about the future, Cari DeCoursey sees a mountain of possibilities, from researching soil health to teaching middle school choir.
“I’ve been a science nerd my whole life, but I’ve also studied music for almost 20 years,” DeCoursey said. “The trick is always deciding what you want to do when you grow up, and I’m doing both.”
DeCoursey is studying botany and vocal performance at Weber State University, where she started in 2006, then took a long break before starting back in 2021. 
“Lots of life happened,” she said, including serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, marriage and divorce, working full time, caring for family members, and even living in an RV with nine people. Above all, she’s raising an eight-year-old daughter.
“Our motto over the past several years has been ‘We’re going to be OK,’” she said. “I don’t know what OK will look like, but we’re going to be OK.”
Despite a “messy” break from college, DeCoursey said she found a home at Weber State. “Random little pieces fell into place, and I’ve seen over and over that this is the right place to be,” she said.
Although her original plan for college was to “get in, get out,” faculty in WSU’s botany department changed her perspective: “They helped me realize my strength and gave me so many opportunities for growth that I couldn’t experience any other way.”
She has since teamed up with Jim Cohen, assistant professor of plant taxonomy, to study how climate change affects flowering and fruiting times in the hackelia genus — research she presented this summer at the National Botany Conference.
DeCoursey was also one of 14 recipients of the Botanical Society of America’s PLANTS grant, which funds student research and pairs them with mentors in the field.
“My professors have pushed me out of my comfort zone, but they’ve also embraced me and my family,” she said. “My daughter helped with the plant sale that the botany department does. It’s a small department where everyone knows everybody, and advocates for each other.”
The self-described “super, super senior” plans to graduate in 2024 and might pursue grad school but, of course, DeCoursey remains open to change: “Do I go the science route or do I get a master’s in music?”
For now, she’s content to be a role model for her daughter and others: “I want people to know that life doesn’t always go the direction you hoped, but there are opportunities out there and people who are willing to help,” she said.
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu- Contact:
Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu