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BYU Marriott MPA alum Ed Thatcher grew up on a farm, and he learned that farming was long, hard work. Though many enjoy the lifestyle, Thatcher decided living on a farm wasn't for him.
The Utah State Capitol was unusually quiet in early 2021, even though the legislature’s annual session was in full swing. “There just wasn’t the bustle we usually have,” says Megan Selin Allen, a 2010 MPA alum. “The capitol was closed to the public for the first couple of weeks, and even after it opened, just our interns could be in the gallery. Only representatives, staff, and approved others could be on the floor. We had COVID-19 testing going on every day, and for the first time, some legislators participated via Zoom.”
Jennifer Tinkham, a JD/MPA alumna of the BYU Marriott School of Business, understands the power of a simple smile to change the world.
Since graduating from the MPA program at BYU Marriott, Jackie Suggitt has worked to create a more sustainable future for the planet.
As the current chief administrative officer of the city of Provo, BYU Marriott MPA alum Wayne Parker strives to continually look to the future of the city he leads.
Almost everything is a learning curve when you’re starting a business, and Sandy Whitaker, a 2003 business management alum, acknowledges that there can be plenty of bumps and detours along the way. But as she and her husband, Tim, a physical therapist, worked to realize their long-term goal of opening a physical therapy practice, Whitaker found that navigating the curve was easier because of knowledge and skills she had gathered along the way—from her formal education, her past jobs, and even her hobbies.
When Stephen H. Russell reflects on his life, he is struck by the way seemingly small decisions and ordinary situations have blossomed into extraordinary opportunities. “None of this was part of a strategic plan,” he says, “and I feel grateful when I see all the times Heavenly Father has blessed me.”
Born and raised in Honolulu, Thomas Y.K. Fong has long loved learning about the earth’s natural processes. He originally planned to earn a bachelor’s degree in geology at BYU and then pursue graduate studies in oceanography. But during one midwinter geology field trip to St. George, Utah, a sandstorm blew through the group’s campsite, prompting Fong to reconsider whether his studies had brought him too close to nature for comfort. “Halfway through that cold, sand-blown night, I’m thinking, ‘Is this really what I want to do for the rest of my life?’” Fong recalls.
In 1968 more than 150 students graduated from BYU Marriott with degrees in business management. Kristi Taylor Lawrence was one of the few women in that graduating class.