Alumni Stories
One of You
As a young man, President Russell M. Nelson attended Ensign College (then LDS Business College) to learn shorthand, a skill that helped him earn money for medical school, and which he still uses daily. He shared his experiences at a commencement ceremony several years ago.
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Growing up in a small town with very limited ways to have fun as a child, I had to create my own ways with my fellow friends. We enjoyed building handmade longboards, slingshots, fighting armor, and making cars and trucks out of mud or carved bricks. The fact of not having them didn’t stop me from making them and having fun with friends. This upbringing caused a mindset in me to build what I want if I can’t afford to buy it, then work hard so I can afford it. When I was thirteen years old, my family moved to Tirana, Albania, for a better life. At this time, I was actively searching for spiritual guidance, and I found The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I became a member at the age of fifteen, and at the age of nineteen, I served a mission in Louisville, Kentucky.
Cameron Smith, one of the founders of Kodiak Cakes, came to Ensign College after receiving a returned-missionary scholarship. His experience here gave him confidence in his abilities as a student and helped pave the way for his future education and career success.
I was a transfer student from Brazil. My wife and I had just gotten engaged in Sao Paulo and she had plans to come to the U.S. to study English. We decided we would get married and move to Utah to finish our college education. Back then LDS Business College offered a great two-year program focused on Business and Accounting and the transfer process worked out great.
Creativity is an elusive quality that is highly prized and universally sought. Fortunate is the person who finds themself not only in a home that celebrates and fosters it but in a career that flourishes in it. Such is the case with Ensign College alumna, Heather Miller, who grew up knowing from a young age that design would be in her future.
The sayings “there is no growth in the comfort zone” and “there is no comfort in the growth zone” are more easily recited than they are lived. Comfort is the reward of a life well-lived. Yet, comfort can be seen as the villain to growth.
When Tony Young refers to Go Utah, he may or may not be referring to the University of Utah. That’s because Tony’s job as the Director of Communications for the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity is also known as Go Utah.
Shana Osterloh started singing professionally before she was a teenager. For almost three decades, she graced the stage and the classroom practicing, performing, learning, and teaching. With music as her first love, why did she leave a musical and teaching career behind and transition into the fast-changing, ever-evolving world of technology?
Have you ever dreamed of jumping from the roof of a house into a 15-foot-tall pile of leaves? Johnny Murdock had so he decided to do something about it. And then, he recorded himself and others doing it. That video went viral!
When you ask a grade school child what they want to become when they grow up, a large percentage will say they want to be a teacher. That makes sense because, in most cases, that’s the only paying profession with which they are familiar. Then, as children grow older and are exposed to more professions, most find a new profession that piques their interest.
Growing up in the Philippines, Andrea Dayne Soleta Schmutz could have never imagined the impact and influence she would wield within the broader Asian community. Her story is best summed up by the scriptural North Star “with God, everything is possible”.
The day after Thanksgiving, often referred to as “Black Friday”, is usually reserved for shopping, leftovers and family time. For those on the Michael and Niki Grooms Christmas Card list, it also means receiving the Grooms family Christmas greetings in the mail. They are just that on top of things!
Harvard, Princeton, William and Mary, and Yale are all highly regarded academic institutions each counting more than one U.S. President among its alumni. Has a graduate of Ensign College ever attempted a run for President?
When you talk to Sharilyn Hunter, it's not hard to recognize her inspiring example as a non-traditional student who succeeded at Ensign College. A busy mom of four, she works on-call, has a heart the size of Lake Powell, and is also the proud recipient of a Paralegal Certificate from Ensign College.