No one would have guessed it was only her second semester. Her exuberance was just her way of giving back to a school that had changed her life in just four months.
“I had never planned on coming here,” said Karanda, a Social Media Marketing major from Payson, Utah. “But once I looked into it, I realized this school had much more to offer than I had ever realized. Coming here felt like coming home to the place I belong.”
In her senior year of high school, Karanda had lofty hopes and applied to Harvard and other schools. Instead, she decided to come to LDSBC because she didn’t want to be just another face in the crowd.
Karanda grew up in a small town where everyone knew her. In high school she was a senior class officer, yearbook and newspaper editor, choir vice president, National Honor Society member and president of three clubs. She started a suicide prevention team. She also worked three jobs and held a cumulative 3.9 GPA.
“I felt I’d be a disappointment to my community if I came to such a small college,” said Karanda. “Even when I told my parents, it took some time for them to see what I saw. But after I convinced them this was where I belonged, they were nothing but supportive.”
Her choice was not without a challenge or two, however.
“I knew I’d feel at a disadvantage because of my age,” said Karanda. “I’m only 18, and many students here are returned missionaries and more experienced in life than I am. It’s hard not to compare yourself with others, but one thing I love about this school is we are all equals. I’ve received more opportunities to serve here than I ever imagined.”
Karanda wants a career where she can accomplish incredible things but retain the flexibility to be a mother and a wife. “LDSBC has helped keep my dreams alive,” she said. “The lessons I’ve learned here have helped me prepare for those roles in ways I never knew were possible. I know now that I can achieve success while raising a family and being a disciple of Christ through the work I do.”
LDSBC is known for providing a skills-based education with high employment demand, but it’s also known for its deep commitment to providing a Christ-centered environment. “I’ve been a member of the Church my whole life,” said Karanda, “but I’ve learned more about the gospel in four months than I ever did in Sunday School. Being enriched each week at devotional on Temple Square has also been an incomparable blessing.”
Because of the international diversity at the school, Karanda clearly sees how the gospel has been preached to all the world. “My testimony has grown immensely,” she said. “I know that Heavenly Father is hastening His work through students here. I believe that my being social is a gift from God. I want to use the skills I’ve gained to help move the work of the Lord forward.”