President’s Letter

Dear Weber State Family,

One hundred years ago this fall, seated among the first-year students at Weber Normal College was a young man who did not attend high school and whose family farm had financially collapsed. Fortunately, a Weber faculty member helped him enroll in school and find odd jobs to pay tuition. This pivotal step enabled J. Willard Marriott to complete his two-year degree, then his four-year degree, and then go on to build what would arguably become one of the world’s largest hospitality companies.

Recently, his son Richard Marriott expressed his appreciation.

“It all started with Aaron Tracy,” he told me. “If Aaron had not worked with my dad and gotten him into Weber... we might still be out in Marriott, Utah, herding sheep.”

Over the last century, many have taken up the mantle of Aaron Tracy: meeting students where they are, challenging and guiding them to meet their goals academically and in life. These stories continue to unfold at Weber State year in and out, as our faculty and staff unleash their creative potential to help students seize the best life offers, even during a global pandemic. 

WSU graduates featured in this issue include April Callister, a renowned nutrition expert, Mindy Robert, who launched an adaptive yoga program for MS patients, and Timber Erickson, who developed the idea of a wildlife overpass along I-84. They represent just a few of the stories that demonstrate how students go Ever Upward at Weber. It’s the Weber way, and, in this issue, we happily share news of continued progress at the university.

Through the pandemic, we carry on our tradition of student success.

Best,

Brad